HOUSTON -- Eddie Griffin tied his career high with 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting and blocked five shots to lead the Houston Rockets over the Denver Nuggets 98-86 Saturday night.
Kenny Thomas added 15 points, and Steve Francis had 14 points and seven assists for the Rockets.

Voshon Lenard scored 20 points, and James Posey added 19 to lead the Nuggets, who lost their sixth game in seven outings. Nick Van Exel, the team's leading scorer with a 23.6-point average, missed his first nine shots from the field and managed only four points on 2-of-14 shooting.

With the help of a 7-0 run late in the first quarter, Houston led 19-18 after the period. Griffin scored six quick points to help the Rockets go up 31-25 in the first three minutes of the second quarter.