In something of a scheduing quirk, Friday’s game between the Rockets (9-9) and defending NBA champion Nuggets (14-8) is the fourth and final meeting between the teams in the 2023-24 regular season. All have come in the first six weeks of the season, and it’s the second time Houston has traveled to Denver in the past 10 days.
This time, it’s because both did not qualify for the eight-team quarterfinals of the NBA’s new in-season tournament. To ensure the same number of games for teams who did not advance, the league’s scheduling matrix matched same-conference opponents who were previously scheduled to play only three times, as opposed to four.
Yet, this matchup could be the first of the four in which both teams are at close to full strength. The Rockets won both of their first two games against Denver (in Houston), but the Nuggets didn’t have starting point guard Jamal Murray in either due to an injury.
Last week, the Nuggets defeated the Rockets in Denver, but Houston was missing its own starting point guard in Fred VanVleet (who sat out on night two of a road back-to-back).
This time, both floor generals are expected to play.
When and How to Watch
- Date: Friday, Dec. 8
- Time: 8:00 p.m. Central
- TV Channel: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass
- Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)
Probable starting lineups
Houston Rockets (9-9)
- Guard: Fred VanVleet
- Guard: Jalen Green
- Forward: Dillon Brooks
- Forward: Jabari Smith Jr.
- Center: Alperen Sengun
Denver Nuggets (14-8)
- Guard: Jamal Murray
- Guard: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- Forward: Michael Porter Jr.
- Forward: Aaron Gordon
- Center: Nikola Jokic
Injury reports
The Dec. 8 injury report issued by the Rockets lists Victor Oladipo (left patellar tendon repair) and Jock Landale (illness) as out. Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, Nate Hinton, and Jermaine Samuels Jr. are all away from the team while playing for Houston’s NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers.
The Nuggets are listing Vlatko Cancar (left knee surgery) as out, while Jamal Murray (right ankle sprain) is probable. Collin Gillespie, Braxton Key, and Jay Huff are with Denver’s G League affiliate.
Dec. 8 uniform choices
- Rockets: Black Statement Edition
- Nuggets: White Association Edition
