Red-hot Rockets, Nuggets square off with NBA Cup group lead on the line

Houston will host Denver on Friday in a pivotal NBA Cup matchup featuring the top two teams in West Group C.

It's a tight battle with all five teams in the group holding identical 1-1 records, though the Rockets and Nuggets lead in point differential.

In the Western Conference season standings, Houston and Denver are two of the top three teams, as well. And they're also leading the NBA in offensive rating and points per game.

On Wednesday in Cleveland, the Rockets (10-3, 1-1) reverted to the "skyline lineup" they utilized for the first two contests of the season in an attempt to match the Cavaliers' towering frontcourt featuring forward Evan Mobley, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and center Jarrett Allen.

Ultimately, Alperen Sengun proved more than capable of carrying the load for Houston.

The power forward produced 28 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, dominating his matchup against Mobley to lead the Rockets to a 114-104 victory, their fifth consecutive triumph.

After the Cavaliers shaved a 22-point third-quarter deficit to a one-score game in the fourth, Sengun tallied 12 points, three rebounds and two assists in the final period to help carry the Rockets to victory. Whenever Houston was in desperate need of a score, Sengun delivered.

"It's been a while like that. I take that now," Sengun said. "I know what it is, so I take the (responsibility). I try to finish the game every time."

The Rockets parlayed their size -- with Steven Adams starting alongside Sengun -- into an edge on the boards (plus-12), second-chance points (plus-15) and points in the paint (plus-8). While Houston quickly pivoted from its double-big lineup, its ability to bludgeon opponents hasn't dissipated.

"I feel like it gives us a chance to win every game," said Rockets reserve guard Aaron Holiday, who scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter. "Just being physical and playing hard, that helps us be in every game."

The Nuggets (11-3, 1-1) responded to having their seven-game winning streak snapped by the Chicago Bulls earlier this week with a 125-118 road victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

Nikola Jokic continued his triple-double tear (28 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists) while Peyton Watson paired a career-high 32 points with 12 rebounds. The Nuggets have won eight of their last 10 games and are a half-game ahead of the Rockets in the West, with both teams trailing Oklahoma City.

The win in New Orleans wasn't pristine. Jokic committed nine turnovers and fouled out late. Denver had a 19-point lead shaved to six in the waning moments while conceding 24 points on 20 turnovers and mimicking the late-game woes from a two-point loss at Portland on Oct. 31.

"We had 20 turnovers total, and we just have to take care of the ball better than that," Nuggets coach David Adelman said. "We can't give up 24 points off mistakes. It'll be a good film to watch with the guys.

"Some of the glaring things that we saw in the Portland game, we saw that late in this game. We have to keep watching tape when we get a chance to practice (and) go through those things, the situational basketball. We just have to finish games better, that's the bottom line."

--Field Level Media