Nuggets' Tim Hardaway Jr. Had Clear Takeaway From Loss vs. Rockets

The Denver Nuggets didn't exactly see things go their way in their latest loss to the Houston Rockets.

In a 101-115 loss at Ball Arena, it was a night where the Nuggets were a bit discombobulated due to a variety of factors. They shot a collective 27.6% from three on nearly 30 attempts, got outworked on the glass 39-47, and on the defensive end, allowed Kevin Durant, Reed Sheppard, and Jabari Smith Jr. to score at least 20 points apiece.

But among the ups and downs from start to finish against Houston, Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. had a major takeaway that not only could've changed the outcome of their double-digit loss, but gives them an emphasis to focus on in the coming weeks––and that simply centers on putting together more consistent stops defensively.

"Keep putting more stops together, keep more runs together, get some stops and get into transitions for some easy ones," Hardaway Jr. said of what he learned from the loss vs. Houston.

Tim Hardaway Jr. Puts Clear Emphasis on Nuggets' Defense

The Nuggets' defense has faced a bit of inconsistency through the first two months of the season, currently ranking 18th in the NBA for defensive rating (116.6), with those issues becoming even more compounded when without three of their key defenders— Christian Watson, Aaron Gordon, and Peyton Watson— as they were against Houston.

There are times where that average defense can be supplemented with one of the league's best offenses, led by the prowess of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. But in games like these where the shots just aren't falling for Denver, that lackadaisical showing on both ends won't cut it against a team like Houston.

Nov 28, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The offensive end, while it was far from perfect against Houston, wasn't exactly the main issue in the mind of Hardaway. In fact, even with the caliber of defense the Rockets hold, he didn't see too much that they did on that side of the floor that made the night tougher than it already was; it just came down to too many missed open shots.

"Yeah we just missed some open shots. They didn't do nothing to make us uncomfortable. We just missed shots. They are a desperate team, they lost two games in overtime so we should have known that."

It's a make-or-miss league, and for Denver, they just weren't able to get the shots falling in their favor, while Kevin Durant and Co. were able to capitalize on the other end.

They'll get a golden opportunity to rebound from their disappointment on their home floor with their upcoming meeting against the Utah Jazz to start next week off, which should hopefully bring a bit more stability both offensively and defensively.

Tim Hardaway Jr. Puts Clear Emphasis on Nuggets' Defense

More Denver Nuggets Content