Denver Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw has admitted that he is disappointed with himself for encouraging his players to frequently foul Dwight Howard in the defeat to the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

The Nuggets adopted an aggressive approach on Howard, who made sure that the tactic did not work for the visitors as he made 17 of 24 free throws to secure a 122-11 win for the Rockets.

"That goes against everything I'm about," Shaw told reporters. "I don't believe in that and I don't think it's in the spirit of the game. So that is exactly what I get for doing that.

"I'm glad he made his free throws and it shows me to just be true to who you are."

The Nuggets have lost five of their opening nine games this season.