Unforgettable start of 2022 for Facundo Campazzo: The Argentine guard had his best game in the NBA in the victoria de Denver Nuggets sobre Houston Rockets for 124-111. Personal record of points, steals and blocks for the Cordoba, who also shone with several anthology plays.
Campazzo, starter for the second consecutive time (now Monte Morris is missing because it is included in the health and safety protocol), he signed a form of 22 points, 12 assists, 5 steals, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 34 minutes with 7-11 in shots from the field (3-5 in triples). He dominated a game like he had never done in the NBA and was in charge of giving a show.
The Argentine signed his first 20-10 in the league and the first game of at least 20 points and 10 assists for an Argentine in the Regular Phase since March 2010, when Manu Ginobili did it against the Golden State Warriors. Counting Regular Phase and Playoffs, Manu was the only Argentine with matches like this, having four of them including one in the 2013 Finals.
Campazzo’s 22 points surpass his previous record of 19 points (against New Orleans Pelicans in April 2021 on the day of his previous double-double), while in steals he equaled what he did against the Lakers in May and in blocks he equaled what already achieved on several occasions. In assists he was only one short to reach the 13 he had registered against the Rockets also in April 2021.
If they leave it, it will continue all night ???? pic.twitter.com/t0V1bMzBdV
– TeamFacu (@ TeamFacu7) January 2, 2022
With Michael Malone and David Adelman on the health and safety protocol, Denver debuted coach tonight: it was former player Popeye Jones, Malone’s assistant, in charge of leading the team to victory. Jones played for the Nuggets in the 1999-2000 season and returned to the franchise this year as an assistant.
She was accompanied by the production of Campazzo Nikola Jokic with 24 points, 3 assists and 11 rebounds In a game in which Denver was missing eight players: PJ Dozier, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Markus Howard due to injury and Jeff Green, Bones Hyland, Zeke Nnaji and Morris due to protocols. Two players signed for 10 days made their debut: Rayjon Tucker y Carlik Jones.
Up to 31 points became Denver’s advantage that Houston managed to cut at the end of the game with the presence of his substitutes, including the Spanish Usman Garuba who finished with 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist in 13 minutes. Houston’s leading scorer was the rookie Jalen Green, author of 29 points.
This is the Nuggets’ second win over Rockets in the season: the previous one, in November, had been much tighter: 95-94 with two 3-pointers by Aaron Gordon at the end of the game.
Houston Rockets vs. Denver Nuggets
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Statistics | Play by play | Highlights
| Team | 1C | 2C | 3C | 4C | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Rockets | 19 | 24 | 19 | 37 | 111 |
| Denver Nuggets | 14 | 47 | 22 | 25 | 124 |
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First quarter
Rivers errs from the outside (0-3) and Houston is not forgiving with his triples. Porter, Green and Nwaba have already scored and the Rockets take an early 13-4 lead, with good ball movement and good rebound protection.
Starting off right! ???? pic.twitter.com/7i76fSc1fw
– Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 2, 2022
It cost Jokic the game in the beginning, with Houston defending the paint in a very physical way, but the Serbian is already beginning to weigh his quality. Houston wins 19-14 after six straight goals by Jokic for the Nuggets.
After the oasis that Jokic’s possessions were in a bad start to Denver’s attack, the course returned to the start of the match. The Rockets are making 60% of their shots, with the midfield made up of Porter and Green dominating the game. 26-18 for the locals. With Davon Reed already with 3 fouls in less than two minutes on the court, the Nuggets’ rotation is getting smaller and smaller.
Campazzo sped to the basket on the last possession and hit a 2 + 1 that capped the final 16-7 run in the final four minutes. The Rockets’ lead at the end of the first quarter ends up being just one point, with Denver’s improvised second unit doing well while Houston’s, with the presence of Christian Wood tonight, spoiling the good start of the hand. by Kevin Porter Jr who has 8 points and 3 assists in the game.
What he did! 2 + 1 ???? pic.twitter.com/0aZm4QJTDQ
– TeamFacu (@ TeamFacu7) January 2, 2022
Second bedroom:
Campazzo’s luxury assist to open the second quarter: between the legs of an opponent for Green’s shot. Then Cancar added to the counterattack and Denver is leading 39-34 with a quarter that is 25-10 between the last four minutes of the first period and the two that passed from this.
Always one step ahead. Forever.
DE CAÑO, CAMPAZZO!pic.twitter.com/6hIUm6HLz8
– Technical fault (@falta_tecnica) January 2, 2022
Denver’s lead continues to extend: 49-40 now, with great performance from the line-up with Campazzo, Cancar, Bol, Rivers / Tucker and Green. We get to the middle of the second quarter and Jokic can rest easy. Green and Cancar already have 9 points apiece, close to their highest scoring figures of the season.
It is one of the best quarters in Denver all season: they already win it 32-12 and the advantage has reached 20 points. He is now 62-43, with the Rockets’ only points in the final minutes being scored by free throws from Green, his team’s leading scorer with 10 points. Campazzo is approaching his first double-double of the season: he has 6 points and 6 assists.
OH. MY. GOD.
Ladies and gentlemen, @facucampazzo ???? pic.twitter.com/0D0fUQ1kiB
– Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 2, 2022
Denver’s 47 points in the second quarter are the Nuggets’ best of the season in a single period. The visitors extended their difference on the scoreboard to 77-55 in a game in which, after an imprecise start, everything is going well for them against a Houston erased from the field. A magical night for Campazzo at the moment, with 13 points, 8 assists and 2 blocks, but he is not the only one: there are already six Denver players with at least 9 points in their account. Houston is overly dependent on the will of rookie Green, who has already scored 20 points.
Third quarter:
Nothing seems to change at the start of the third quarter, despite the fact that Denver often finds it difficult to come back from the locker room. Jokic is unstoppable for some Rockets who in five minutes have barely made two shots from the field: a double by Theis and a triple by Green. 87-62 for the Nuggets shows the score as we approach the middle of this period.
KJ stuffs it home! ???? pic.twitter.com/b182hZePLe
– Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 2, 2022
Houston woke up a bit to the presence of rookies Garuba and Nix for the first time in the game. Likewise, the 14-8 part of the locals is not enough to make the score look more competitive: the Texans lose 93-74 one minute before the end of the third quarter.
He’s busting out all the moves tonight!
???? @facucampazzo pic.twitter.com/E0Mqo4ZXdV
– Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 2, 2022
The last minute was enough for Campazzo to reach the double-double with an assist to Bol Bol and also to score a beautiful mid-distance basket after playing the 1 vs. 1 in the last possession. There are already 18 points and 10 assists in the Argentine’s account. Denver wins 99-74.
Last room:
Denver already has the game in his pocket: Campazzo reaches the 20-point line for the first time in the NBA, Jokic also does it with a 2 + 1 and Bol Bol is now a focus of the attack of the Nuggets, who win by 107-82 with eight and a half minutes remaining in an already quite distorted match.
KJ hammers it home! ???? pic.twitter.com/z8PfqgYtx3
– Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 2, 2022
The last 10 minutes had exhibition dyes and the young people of Houston took advantage of that to make up the score a bit: Denver’s advantage, which had been 31 points, ended in a 13-point lead a little more dignified for the locals thanks to the Daishen Nix and Trevelin Queen appeared with points in their hands: 13 points for the first and 10 for the second, two rookies.
The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA or its organizations.
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