DENVER • The Houston Rockets are not in action today but their practice session will be a big step towards normality for the shorthanded team.
Nikola Jokic racked up his 43rd career triple-double - 19 points, 18 assists and 12 rebounds - while Jamal Murray added 21 points as the Denver Nuggets beat Houston 124-111 on Monday.
Like their previous National Basketball Association game (NBA), the Rockets played with just nine players - one above the league minimum - available due to coronavirus issues.
Reserve duo Ben McLemore and Kenyon Martin Jr will not be available for their next game tomorrow at home to the Sacramento Kings as both are self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 last week.
But crucially, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Eric Gordon and Mason Jones are out of quarantine today and will immediately return to the fold.
Cousins, Wall and Gordon are all considered to be starters, and Stephen Silas, the Rockets' rookie coach, is desperate to welcome the quartet back after two losses in as many opening games.
"Wednesday's practice is an important practice, getting these guys back in and getting the group on the same page," he said.
"This is a growing, learning experience for all of us and we have to get better, on the defensive end especially.
"When you have nine guys, and you are kind of doing things on the fly because you don't have practice time, it can get ugly against a good team and that's what happened tonight."
James Harden, the NBA scoring champion for the past three terms, had 34 points, while teammate Christian Wood scored 23.
However, the visitors had no answer to the hosts, with All-Star Jokic a particular menace with his playmaking. The Serbian centre, whose team got off the mark with their first win in three games, said: "I just play like that, trying to find the open guy. My coaches gave me the freedom to do that."
Separately, Chinese streaming giant Tencent has stopped live broadcasts of games by the Philadelphia 76ers in apparent protest at their new president Daryl Morey, who sparked a row by voicing support for Hong Kong protesters last year.
Tencent has been offering only text updates for Sixers games as well as those involving the Rockets, Morey's former employers. It also refused to screen Rockets games last season.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
