With apologies to the sublime Nikola Jokic, the players that the Nuggets were missing would probably top those that played. The Rockets did not care. They had their own problems to solve, a losing streak to end.
The Rockets needed not just to win, but to feel good about it, with James Harden looking more like himself, Russell Westbrook continuing to roll and Eric Gordon getting his shot back. They got all of that on Wednesday, rolling to a 25-point lead before clearing the bench to finish a 121-105 romp past the badly-depleted Nuggets.
Harden had 20 of his 27 points in the first half to show glimpses of his norm.