Heading into last month's All-Star break, it appeared the Denver Nuggets would easily make the postseason, while the Houston Rockets would be in the mix for one of the Western Conference's final playoff spots. Since then, those scenarios have been reversed.
The Rockets look for their 10th win in 12 games since the break Monday night when they visit the slumping Nuggets, who are trying to avoid losing for the eighth time in 12 games.Denver (40-24) won nine of 11 games before the break to build a four-game lead atop the Northwest with the West's third-best record. Very little has gone right for the Nuggets since, dropping one-half game back of Utah in the division and to seventh in the conference.
The Nuggets lost to lowly Sacramento 114-106 on Sunday, their seventh defeat in 11 games since the break.
"I don't even know if I can put this in words how we are feeling," said Carmelo Anthony, who had 32 points on 13-of-29 shooting. "I'm not sure if I'm mad, sad or angry."
Denver is struggling to slow down its opponents, allowing an average of 102.5 points since the break after giving up an average of 95.9 in its previous 11.
While the Nuggets' momentum was slowed at the break, Houston (41-23) has been climbing the standings.
The second half of the season looked like it would be a struggle for the Rockets, who learned just before the hiatus star Tracy McGrady would likely miss the rest of the season with a left knee injury.
Houston split its final eight games before the break to trail Southwest Division-leading San Antonio by four games. The Rockets were also fifth in the conference and just three games ahead of ninth-place Phoenix.
Houston has had little trouble since McGrady went down, though, moving into third in the West and within two games of the Spurs.
The Rockets are coming off Sunday's 93-83 win over Memphis, their ninth victory in 11 games since the break and 10th in 12 overall.
Yao Ming had 24 points and 17 rebounds for his 30th double-double of the season, while Luis Scola added 18 points and 14 boards.
Before the game against the Grizzlies, Houston coach Rick Adelman talked about the importance of the matchup with upcoming contests against the West-leading Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Charlotte on Friday and rival San Antonio on Saturday.
"Where we are right now, you can't afford a game like that at home, where you slip up," Adelman said. "We talked about how this is the first one this week. You go to Denver, then you have the Lakers and then at Charlotte, who's been playing very well, and then we have San Antonio to finish it off. So, this was an important game for us. We needed to get this win to start the week."
Although the Nuggets have been slumping, they're still a tough team to beat on their home court.
Denver, which opens a four-game homestand Monday, has won seven of eight at the Pepsi Center. It has also won three straight home games over Houston since a 108-97 loss on March 2, 2007.
The Rockets have won two of three over the Nuggets but lost 104-94 in their only trip to Denver on Nov. 30.
Yao averaged 31.5 points on 68.4 percent shooting in Houston's two wins over the Nuggets but had only 18 points on 5-of-12 shooting in the loss. Because of injuries, Yao has played in only two games in Denver since the start of the 2005-06 season.
