DENVER (AP) \u2014 Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Reed Sheppard scored the final 11 points of the third quarter to blow open a close game, and the Houston Rockets rolled past the Denver Nuggets 115-101 on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Sheppard was 6 for 9 from long range and scored 28 points. His last bucket came on a steal and a slam after the Nuggets reserves had trimmed a 21-point deficit to 107-97 in the closing minutes.<\/p>\n
The Rockets avenged a loss earlier in the week<\/a> at Denver and snapped the Nuggets\u2019 six-game winning streak. Durant was 5 for 6 from 3-point range and Jabari Smith was 5 for 11 from long range for 22 points.<\/p>\n The Rockets shot 19 of 35 from long range (54%) to Denver\u2019s 8 of 29 (27%).<\/p>\n Nikola Jokic led Denver with 25 points and Jamal Murray scored 16.<\/p>\n Denver coach Dave Adelman was ejected with 8:40 left in the game after arguing that Jokic should have gotten a whistle.<\/p>\n The Nuggets had pulled to within 71-66 with 1:29 left in the third quarter when Sheppard swished a pair of 3-pointers around a turnover by Murray. He sank two free throws and capped his run with another 3-pointer that gave the Rockets an 82-66 lead heading into the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n Little went right for Denver, which was without star defender Peyton Watson (right trunk bruise) to guard Durant.<\/p>\n The rematch came three days after Rockets coach Ime Udoka was fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating in Houston\u2019s 128-125 overtime loss<\/a> to the Nuggets on Monday night.<\/p>\n He had little to complain about in this one, especially after Sheppard\u2019s 3s short-circuited Denver\u2019s comeback.<\/p>\n The Rockets took a 53-45 halftime lead after Josh Okogie hit a trio of 3-pointers, fueling an 11-0 run in the second quarter that helped Houston take control. <\/p>\n Up next<\/p>\n Rockets: Visit the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.<\/p>\n Nuggets: Host the Utah Jazz on Monday night.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n