What to Watch for in Rockets vs. Nuggets

The Houston Rockets are back on the road for their next six scheduled games, including their Christmas Day game against the Lakers.

They'll kick off their road trip in Denver to face off against Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets, hoping to come out with a better outcome than the two teams' last contest.

This Houston Rockets are elite on BOTH ENDS of the court 🚀

The Rockets own the second-best net rating in the NBA at +10.3, with a top-three offense and a top-three defense. That’s not an accident. That’s balance, depth, and identity.

They win by outworking teams. By owning the… pic.twitter.com/gVroiLGcwT
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 14, 2025

Their last matchup came during a scheduled NBA Cup group stage game, with the Nuggets coming away with the win, 112-109, on the Rockets' home floor.

Jokic would get the best of Rockets center Alperen Sengun, outscoring him by 20 points that evening, while Nuggets guard Jamal Murray also erupted for 26points and 10 assists.

Clearly, containing these two superstars will be one of Houston's top priorities, but generating their own firepower on offense will also be another.

This game will be the first time Houston and Denver clash with Kevin Durant in the Rockets lineup, as he was out during the last meeting due to some family-related matters.

Perhaps having their veteran scorer as part of the mix could help put Houston over the top in this battle between two of the top teams in the NBA's Western Conference.

Here's what to look out for in this evenings Rockets-Nuggets game:

Impacting the Glass

Any big man playing Nikola Jokic knows it's going to be a long night in the office, but one thing that the Rockets need to make sure of is controlling the rebounds and getting a body on Jokic.

Both Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams will draw matchups against the three-time NBA MVP, and they will both need to be on top of their game if they want to help the Rockets come out with a win in this game.

Nov 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jokic is averaging 10.9 rebounds in his last ten games, so the Rockets will need to make it a necessity that either Adams or Sengun puts body on him when the ball is shot.

Adams was successful in cleaning up rebounds during the previous encounter with Denver logging eight rebounds.

Yet, Sengun would be stifled, only securing five boards on the night, which will be unacceptable this evening if Houston wants to even up the regular-season series with the Nuggets.

Does Tari Eason Returns

After coach Ime Udoka announced that Tari Eason was nearing readiness to return to the floor, fans began to grow excited for the 24-year-old forward, who may just return against the Nuggets.

On Sunday, it was announced that Eason was listed as questionable for Monday's game, as it will now be a game-time decision for the young wing.

Tari Eason (oblique) listed questionable for Monday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) December 14, 2025

Now, it will obviously be in a limited capacity as Eason looks to get back into the team's flow.

However, the Rockets could still use another solid three-point scorer off the bench, so a returning Eason only boosts the offense even more.

Before his injury, Eason was shooting 50.9% behind the arc, while averaging at least 11.5 points per game.

His defensive impact was also pivotal for the Rockets, so the team will be ecstatic if Eason does make his return this evening.

Game Information

Date: Mon, Dec 15.
Time: 8:30 p.m. CT
Location: Ball Arena - Denver, Colorado
TV: Peacock