NBA's Two-Minute Report Unkind to Rockets Against Nuggets

The Houston Rockets knew they would be in for a tough battle with the Denver Nuggets on Monday. The Nuggets are seen by many as a championship contender, and so far this season, they have proven it. The Nuggets came into Monday's game 18-6, winners of four straight.

The Rockets had already faced the Nuggets in November in an NBA Group play game. The Nuggets were able to come away with a close 112-109 victory at the Toyota Center. The Rockets were looking for revenge against Denver on Monday, and for a little bit it looked like they may even up the season series.

The game was back-and-forth and hotly contested, with emotions running high as early as the end of the first half, when Ime Udoka and Alperen Sengun felt he was fouled on the offensive end while going up for a layup by Nikola Jokic. The replay showed that Jokic clearly pushed Sengun from behind, but there was no call.

That was just the beginning of a game that saw five total technicals multiple controversial calls down the stretch and the Rockets falling short in overtime 128-125. Throughout the game it was obviouse the Rocket players and especially Ime Uodka were fustrated with the way the game was called. Udoka who rarely comments on the officials was straight and to the point when it came to his opinion of how the game was called.

“Most poorly officiated game I’ve seen in a long time. Even said two of these referees didn’t even deserve to be out there.

Ime Udoka with his thoughts on the #Rockets OT loss to the Nuggets

It's a must listen.@HoustonRockets play Denver again on Saturday pic.twitter.com/jzY0qff5mV
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) December 16, 2025

For the last several years the NBA has released a last two minute report according to these guidelines "Games where the score was tied or within three points during the last two minutes of the 4th quarter or any overtime period. "

The two-minute report on the Rockets' point loss solidified what many Rockets fans and the Rockets themselves believed was an unfairly officiated game in favor of the Nuggets. The report stated that there were three incorrect calls in the last two minutes of regulation and overtime. All three of those calls went against the Rockets. It resulted in four free throws for the Nuggets and free throws taken away from the Rockets.

All 3 calls the NBA said last night’s officiating crew got wrong. All 3 were in overtime and all 3 went against the Rockets. pic.twitter.com/xc6r53ENPo
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) December 16, 2025

The most controversial play in the entire game was the foul call on Amen Thompson that lead to an away from the play foul which awarded the Nuggets one free throw that tied the game and sent it to overtime. Even though the NBA deemed it to be the correct call many believe that was another incorrect call that went agaisnt the Rockets.

At the end of the day, it is only one loss, and the Rockets can erase some of the bad taste from their mouth with a win Thursday at New Orleans and a win Saturday against this same Nuggets team in Denver. However, it is still a bitter pill to swallow, especially when every game is a must in the tough Western Conference.