Clint Capela scored career-high 31 points in Rockets win over Nuggets

Posted: January 7, 2019 -- 11:51 p.m.

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- James Harden didn't score 35 or more points Monday night. He scored 32; but, the Rockets still defeated the Denver Nuggets 125-113. Denver double-teamed and trapped Harden throughout the ball game; so, Harden passed the ball to open teammates and his teammates delivered. P.J. Tucker made a career-high 7 three-point shots; and, Gerald Green made 6 threes off the bench. Tucker scored 21 points which are his high point total as a Rocket. Green scored 21 points which are his season-high.

Harden finished the game with 14 assists; and, the Rockets made 22 three-point shots.

Clint Capela scored a career-high 31 points. Capela beat the Nuggets down the court numerous times to get his points.

"Well they were doubling James (Harden) on everything," Mike D'Antoni said after the game. "I've said it a thousand times: He'll take what's there and with them doubling, he found either Clint (Capela), P.J. (Tucker), Gerald (Green), or somebody. And Clint's energy and running the floor, he got some touchdown passes and all that stuff. Obviously, he played at a very high level tonight."

Capela took advantage of Denver's defense and thrived Monday night.

"From the defense that they gave us," said Capela. "Whenever I'm under the rim and you put a little (guard) on me, what's going to happen is that 99-100 percent of the time, I'm going to dunk the ball; so, this is what happened tonight. And, I did a good job finishing aggressively under the rim.

"Oh yeah, whenever they were trapping, we were trying to get the ball and make the read," Capela commented. "They weren't aggressive on the ball whenever I got it; so, I was just trying to be aggressive to the rim."

Denver (26-12) led Houston 35-33 at the end of the first quarter; but, the Rockets outscored the Nuggets 37-25 in the second quarter.

Harden scored the last 10 points of the quarter on 3 three-point baskets and 1 free throw. All three buckets were step-back three-point shots including one move by Harden which landed Denver's Jamal Murray on the floor:

After the game, Harden described the play very matter-of-fact: "Trying to make a play."

Houston led 70-60 at halftime; and, Denver outscored the Rockets 29-26 in the third quarter to cut Houston's lead to 96-89 going to the fourth quarter.

Denver pulled within six (102-96) with 10:02 remaining in the fourth; but, Capela scored on a dunk and Green sank a three-point shot to boost the lead to 11. Denver didn't get closer than nine points the rest of the game.

Capela (8), Green (9), and Harden (9) combined for 26 of the Rockets' 29 fourth-quarter points.

"I like the fact that when Clint (Capela) clearly gets it down there, instead of sometimes kicking it back out," Green said. "Man, be aggressive (and) go get a bucket, because you got to guard that, and that wears on you throughout the course of the game and today was a prime example. Where they didn't know whether to help on Clint Capela or leave the three open. I think that's why I got a lot of shots. We start hitting shots (and) Clint Capela starts getting open again. It's just one of those things; we've got all cylinders just clicking. We're tough to beat."

Green is averaging 17.0 points per game on 54.5% shooting over the past four games after averaging 7.3 points per game on 30.0% shooting the three games prior. Houston is 12-3 when Green scores in double-figures this season.

"Give them credit: P.J. Tucker and Gerald Green, you know (James) Harden is going to get his," Michael Malone, Denver Head Coach acknowledged. "But, when P.J. Tucker and Gerald Green scores the amount of threes that they made, I believe 13 combined, that's a tough one to overcome."

Malone added, "He (Harden)'s probably the hardest guy in the NBA to guard and let's be honest: All the rule changes that are in place always favor the offense; so, it makes it even that much harder for our defense. But that's no excuse. It's the same for everybody. I thought Torrey (Craig) tried, Gary (Harris) tried, Malik (Beasley) tried. I thought everybody tried; but, he's an M.V.P. for a reason; and, he showed it once again tonight."

The Rockets hit 22 3-pointers on 46.8% shooting while holding the Nuggets to 7 three-point baskets on 24.1% shooting. That is Houston's second-highest 3-point differential of the season (16 vs. Washington on 12/19). The Rockets have hit 20 or more 3-pointers six times this season, including three of the past 10 games. Over the past 12 games, Houston is averaging 8.3 more threes made per game than the opposition, with opponents shooting 30.6% from behind-the-arc over that span.

NOTES:

All 10 of Gerald Green's shots came from 3-point range tonight (200 of his 250 shots overall this season).

Houston is 59-2 when scoring 120+ points under head coach Mike D'Antoni.

Houston shot 50.0% (38 for 76) from the floor tonight. The Rockets are 40-3 when shooting 50.0% or better under head coach Mike D'Antoni, including 27-1 over the past 28 games. Tonight marked the fifth time Houston has recorded fewer than 90 field goal attempts while having fewer than 30 (29 tonight) 2-point attempts this season. Prior to 2018-19, NBA teams accounted for two such games, including one by the Rockets in 2017-18.

NEXT:

The Rockets' next game is Wednesday, January 9, versus the Milwaukee Bucks. Tip is set for 7 p.m.

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