NBA: Nuggets edge Kings in thriller
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, is guarded by Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. The Nuggets won 130-129. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
SACRAMENTO, California — Jamal Murray made a go-ahead jumper with 8.6 seconds remaining and the Denver Nuggets rallied past the Sacramento Kings 130-129 on Monday night.
Nikola Jokic had his NBA-leading 10th triple-double with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists as the Nuggets ended Sacramento’s three-game winning streak. Murray scored 28 points, while Russell Westbrook had 18 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
Article continues after this advertisementDenver (14-10) trailed by 10 with four minutes remaining before storming back on the strength of a 14-3 spurt.
READ: NBA: Nuggets rout Clippers behind Jamal Murray
THE LAST 85 SECONDS OF NUGGETS-KINGS WAS BACK-AND-FORTH MADNESS 🤯🤯
7 lead changes.
Big bucket after big bucket.The @nuggets come out on top in a THRILLER in Sacramento! pic.twitter.com/syC7xf7bu5
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2024
The teams exchanged leads seven times over the final 75 seconds, with Murray nailing the decisive shot about 12 seconds after DeMar DeRozan put the Kings (13-14) in front with a baseline dunk.
Article continues after this advertisementDeRozan missed inside in the final seconds, and the Nuggets held on.
Domantas Sabonis had 28 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for the Kings. De’Aaron Fox added 29 points and seven assists. Malik Monk scored 25.
Takeaways
Nuggets: Westbrook has been a critical player for Denver. The nine-time All-Star has spent most of the season coming off the bench, but has made several effective spot starts at multiple positions — as he did Monday when he filled in for injured Christian Braun.
Kings: Mike Brown’s squad showed good energy coming back to take the lead after beginning the game flat on both ends of the floor and falling behind 41-21 at the end of one quarter. Denver was the more physical team most of the night, although the Kings played significantly better in the second half.
READ: NBA: Nikola Jokic stays hot with 48 points as Nuggets rout Hawks
Key moment
Aaron Gordon hit a 3-pointer with 1:49 left to bring the Nuggets within one. Michael Porter Jr. made a steal on the other end and Jokic scored off an assist from Westbrook to put Denver ahead 123-122 with 1:15 remaining before the game went back-and-forth the rest of the way.
Key stat
Denver scored 76 points in the paint, 33 more than Sacramento had been allowing this season.
Up next
Nuggets: Face the Trail Blazers in Portland on Thursday.
Kings: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
