Jalen Green scored 26 points and Fred VanVleet added 25 as the Houston Rockets defeated the Denver Nuggets 114-106 on Friday night.

Houston won its first away game of the season thanks to 17 points and 10 rebounds from Alperen Sengun, 16 points from Dillon Brooks, and 10 rebounds from Jabari Smith Jr.

For Denver, Nikola Jokic had 23 points and 16 rebounds, Jamal Murray had 21, Michael Porter Jr. had 20, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 14, and Peyton Watson had 13. The Nuggets suffered their first home loss in ten games.The Rockets started the fourth period on an 11-4 run, leading by 25, but then went more than six minutes without scoring, and Denver responded with 18 unanswered points. With 5:32 remaining, Jokic made two turnaround jumpers, fed Porter for a 3-pointer, and finished with a layup to cut the margin to 103-89.

As the Nuggets continued to chip away, Houston missed nine consecutive shots and four free throws. To make it 103-96, Porter scored a three-point play, Murray made two free throws, and Jokic sank a short jumper.

The Rockets missed all 11 shots they attempted in the final 8:26, yet returned to win at the line.

Houston led by seven points in the second quarter until Caldwell-Pope scored a leaning 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 52-48 at the half.

In the early minutes of the third quarter, the Rockets extended their lead. Smith’s tip-in made it 61-52 after VanVleet nailed a jumper and a 3-pointer.

When Brooks picked up two fouls and a technical in 17 seconds, Denver took advantage and closed to within three points, but Houston replied.

Green converted three free throws and a jumper, Brooks and Aaron Holiday hit 3-pointers, and Green drained a 16-footer to put the Rockets up 79-67 with 3:32 remaining in the third.

Houston finished the third quarter on a 13-7 run, leading 92-74 going into the fourth.