2026 NBA Summer League: Rockets pull away from Nuggets in 4th quarter
Rookie Bruce Thornton was the star of the show Friday, scoring 27 points to lead Houston to a Summer League win over Denver.
Juan Carlos Blanco, RotoWire
Updated on July 11, 2026 1:39 AM
Bruce Thornton scored 7 points in Summer League action Friday.
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LAS VEGAS
ā A stellar offensive outburst from rookie second-round pick Bruce Thornton and a dominant fourth quarter propelled the Houston Rockets to a 97-86 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday at the 2026 NBA Summer League.Thornton, the No. 31 overall pick, led the way for the Rockets with 27 points, adding three rebounds, three assists and three steals. A tightly contested first quarter culminated in a 20-20 deadlock, but the Rockets thrived on both ends of the floor during the second period to take an eight-point lead into halftime. After the Nuggets erased all but one point from their deficit in the third, Houstonās 17-7 run over the first 5:36 of the final period turned the tables once more and helped seal a double-digit victory.
The Rocketsā defense was key to the win, forcing 22 turnovers and holding Denver to sub-20-point tallies in the second and fourth quarters. Houstonās Isaiah Crawford recorded 17 points, seven boards, four assists, three steals and three blocks. Quadir Copeland added 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tristen Newton contributed 13 points, three boards, two assists, three steals and one block.
Bryce Hopkins, the second of the Nuggetsā two 2026 second-round picks, paced Denver with 24 points and added four rebounds, three steals and two blocks. KJ Simpson registered 17 points, nine assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. DeJon Jarreau and Mark Mitchell posted nine and eight points, respectively, off the bench, with Jarreau pulling down seven boards. Hopkinsā fellow second-round selection Trevon Brazile totaled just five points on 2-for-8 shooting, but he also recorded 11 rebounds and one steal.
Both teams return to action Saturday. The Rockets face the Toronto Raptors (9:30 ET, Prime Video), while the Nuggets take on the Minnesota Timberwolves (7:30 ET, Prime Video).
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