Jae'Sean Tate and the Houston Rockets were very close to stealing a game on the road against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Down by just a point with the clock winding down, Tate went up for a layup. Jokic reacted with impressive quickness to block the shot and seal the win.
Michael Malone on Nikola Jokic's big block to secure the #Nuggets' win tonight (below 👇🎞️):
"I just gave him our defensive player of the game award because of that game-saving block." pic.twitter.com/Mq6pzSsa4H
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) November 6, 2021
The play was extremely close to being an obvious foul, as Tate loses his balance midair and is very close to getting an elbow to the face. Ultimately, though, Jokic made the clutch play on the end of the floor where he is not known for dominating.
After the game, Tate told reporters that he got fouled. But afterward, the Rockets forward retracted his statement and said that Jokic's play was actually a good block.
I take it back that was a good block https://t.co/vOXDWCfGgI
— JaeSean Tate (@o_tate_) November 7, 2021
The loss marked the seventh straight defeat for Houston, who is now 1-8 on the season. Tate, in his second year, has started every game and is averaging 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. The rebuilding Rockets are already getting used to racking up losses.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets are now 5-4. Jokic is having another extraordinary season, averaging 25.4 points. 13.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. He and Denver are looking to make a deeper playoff run than last season, in which they got swept in the second round by the Phoenix Suns.
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