NBA · Southwest
Houston Rockets news Monday, November 9, 2026
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The 30-second version
The 5-minute version
Game day · Mon, Nov 9
8:30 PM ET
vs Nuggets
Toyota Center (Houston), Houston · ALT2/KTVD, KUSA-TV (9NEWS)
Record7–3
2nd in the Southwest · 1 GB
L 99–102 at Suns · Sat, Nov 7
No. 1 in the 30-second version
Suns beat Rockets 102-99 after Houston's 22-3 run before halftime erased a Phoenix lead of up to 19.
According to The Dream Shake, Houston shot 38 percent to Phoenix's 48 percent, with Kevin Durant scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 15 and Fred VanVleet had 16, and Bright Side of the Sun called it the Suns' best win of the season so far.
Sources: The Dream Shake · Bright Side Of The Sun
No. 2 in the 30-second version
Nuggets list their entire starting lineup questionable for tonight's game in Houston after plane delays.
Hampered by plane delays leaving Mexico City, the Nuggets have listed their entire starting lineup as questionable for Monday's game in Houston.
Source: ESPN
Rockets and Nuggets meet tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT, with Denver's whole rotation listed as game-time decisions.
According to SB Nation, Houston has lost its last two games, with slow starts, fourth-quarter scoring problems and turnovers. Denver played two nights ago in Mexico and listed its rotation as game-time decisions, though the blog expects some players to play. Houston's Clint Capela and Steven Adams are out, while Denver's Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Cameron Johnson, DeMar DeRozan, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun are game-time decisions. The blog questions how much Fred VanVleet has mattered given the same problems as last season.
Source: The Dream Shake
Around the NBA
No. 3 in the 30-second version
Thunder acquire Nique Clifford from the Kings for two second-round picks.
The Kings announced the trade Sunday, sending Clifford to Oklahoma City for an unprotected 2028 second-round pick via Utah and an unprotected 2030 second-round pick via Minnesota. Clifford, 24, was the 24th overall pick in 2025 but never played for the Thunder after a trade to Sacramento. He averaged 8.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 75 games for the Kings last season, and was averaging 6.3 minutes per game this season. The Thunder need wing depth after potential season-ending injuries to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace, and the Kings have 13 players and two weeks to add a 14th.
Sources: USA TODAY Sports · ESPN · NBC Sports · CBS Sports
Austin Reaves scores 43 as the Lakers beat the Pistons 121-116 without Luka Doncic.
Doncic was ruled out with lower back tightness, and Reaves went 14-of-27 from the field with 4-of-6 three-point shooting and 11-of-11 at the free-throw line. The 43 points were Reaves' season high and his first 40-point game of the season, according to the NY Post. Walker Kessler added 12 points and 16 rebounds, and the Lakers moved to 9-2 and remained first in the Western Conference.
Sources: USA TODAY Sports · NY Post Sports · LA Times · ESPN
Cooper Flagg posts 25 points and 12 assists as Mavericks rout Nets 130-93.
Kyrie Irving scored 21 and Daniel Gafford had 18 points and three blocks, while Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 19 points and nine rebounds. The 37-point margin was Dallas's largest since October 2022, and the Nets (2-8) never led and allowed 57.1 percent shooting, per the NY Post.
Sources: NY Post Sports · Mavs Moneyball · NetsDaily
Timberwolves beat the Jazz 115-100, pulling away late in the third quarter; Utah falls to 1-9.
Well… We can only go up from here right? The Utah Jazz suffered yet another road loss Sunday night at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, without Anthony Edwards. Now 1-9, the Jazz tonight matched the 2013-14 Utah Jazz for the worst 10-game start to the season since the team has been in Utah.
Sources: Canis Hoopus · SLC Dunk
Warriors guard Will Richard tears a ligament in his left thumb and will be sidelined for an undetermined stretch.
ESPN reports Richard, a second-year guard who has provided key minutes as both a starter and a reserve, will miss an undetermined amount of time.
Source: ESPN
How this is made: Summaries are written with AI from the linked reporting. For the full account, read the sources.