Nikola Jokic has 5th straight triple-double to help the Nuggets beat the Kings, 132-123
DENVER (AP) Nikola Jokic had his fifth straight triple-double before the fourth quarter, finishing with 35 points, 22 rebounds and a season-high 17 assists to help the Denver Nuggets beat the Sacramento Kings 132-123 on Thursday night.
Jokic has an NBA-leading 20 triple-doubles this season, 14 before the fourth quarter. He had 20 points and 20 rebounds before the end of the third quarter.
The Nuggets led by 22 at halftime and used a 14-5 run at the end of the third, capped by Jokic’s 66-foot heave at the buzzer, to take a 25-point lead.
Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 17 rebounds for Sacramento. The Kings lost for the third time in 13 games since Doug Christie took over as the interim coach.
The Kings scored the first 14 points of the fourth and got as close as 126-121.
Kings: Faced a tough back-to-back after beating Golden State at home Wednesday night. They had a furious rally to make it close but could not make up a 25-point deficit.
Nuggets: Jokic, voted an All-Star starter, had 12 points in the fourth quarter. Christian Braun had 21 points and Michael Porter Jr. 20 points for Denver, which has won four straight.
The Kings could have packed it in after Jokic’s basket from three-quarter court but they got after Denver at the start of the fourth. It brought Jokic back in instead of taking off another fourth quarter.
Doug McDermott, who was taken by the Nuggets in 2014 and traded to Chicago on draft night, was 5 of 7 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter to get the Kings within two possessions.
The Kings continue their six-game trip at New York on Saturday night. The Nuggets begin a five-game trip at Minnesota on Saturday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Domantas Sabonis vs. Nikola Jokic (Jamal Murray gains possession) | ||
| 11:46 |  | Keegan Murray shooting foul (Jamal Murray draws the foul) | ||
| 11:46 | | +1 | Jamal Murray makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 0-1 |
| 11:46 | | Jamal Murray misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 11:44 | | De'Aaron Fox defensive rebound | ||
| 11:31 | | Domantas Sabonis turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 11:16 | | +2 | Christian Braun makes two point cutting dunk (Jamal Murray assists) | 0-3 |
| 10:52 | | Domantas Sabonis misses two point driving finger roll layup | ||
| 10:49 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 10:38 | | +2 | Jamal Murray makes two point cutting finger roll layup (Nikola Jokic assists) | 0-5 |
| 10:26 | | Malik Monk misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:23 | | Keegan Murray offensive rebound | ||
| 10:19 | | +3 | Domantas Sabonis makes three point jump shot (De'Aaron Fox assists) | 3-5 |
| 9:51 | | +2 | Christian Braun makes two point cutting layup (Russell Westbrook assists) | 3-7 |
| 9:39 | | +2 | DeMar DeRozan makes two point stepback jump shot | 5-7 |
| 9:19 | | Michael Porter Jr. misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:17 | | Christian Braun offensive rebound | ||
| 9:16 | | Michael Porter Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:16 | | Keegan Murray defensive rebound | ||
| 9:06 | | +2 | DeMar DeRozan makes two point driving floating jump shot (Domantas Sabonis assists) | 7-7 |
| 8:48 | | +3 | Michael Porter Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jamal Murray assists) | 7-10 |
| 8:37 | | +2 | Domantas Sabonis makes two point driving layup (Malik Monk assists) | 9-10 |
| 8:33 | | Malik Monk shooting foul (Russell Westbrook draws the foul) | ||
| 8:33 | | Russell Westbrook misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 8:33 | | Nuggets offensive rebound | ||
| 8:33 | | +1 | Russell Westbrook makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 9-11 |
| 8:20 | | Domantas Sabonis misses two point driving layup | ||
| 8:19 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 8:11 | | +2 | Michael Porter Jr. makes two point cutting layup (Nikola Jokic assists) | 9-13 |
| 8:03 | | +2 | Malik Monk makes two point driving floating jump shot | 11-13 |
| 8:03 | | Christian Braun shooting foul (Malik Monk draws the foul) | ||
| 8:03 | | +1 | Malik Monk makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 12-13 |
| 7:48 | | Nikola Jokic misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 7:47 | | Russell Westbrook offensive rebound | ||
| 7:47 | | +2 | Russell Westbrook makes two point tip layup | 12-15 |
| 7:34 | | +2 | DeMar DeRozan makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | 14-15 |
| 7:34 | | Christian Braun shooting foul (DeMar DeRozan draws the foul) | ||
| 7:34 | | +1 | DeMar DeRozan makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 15-15 |
| 7:23 | | Michael Porter Jr. misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 7:20 | | Domantas Sabonis defensive rebound | ||
| 7:11 | | Domantas Sabonis misses two point jump shot | ||
| 7:08 | | Jamal Murray defensive rebound | ||
| 7:00 | | +2 | Christian Braun makes two point cutting layup (Nikola Jokic assists) | 15-17 |
| 6:53 | | +2 | De'Aaron Fox makes two point pullup jump shot (Malik Monk assists) | 17-17 |
| 6:45 | | Russell Westbrook turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 6:45 | | Nuggets 60 second timeout | ||
| 6:36 | | +2 | Domantas Sabonis makes two point floating jump shot (Malik Monk assists) | 19-17 |
| 6:16 | | Malik Monk shooting foul (Russell Westbrook draws the foul) | ||
| 6:16 | | Kings 60 second timeout | ||
| 6:16 | | Russell Westbrook misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 6:16 | | Nuggets offensive rebound | ||
| 6:16 | | Russell Westbrook misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 6:13 | | Domantas Sabonis defensive rebound | ||
| 6:02 | | Malik Monk turnover (bad pass) (Nikola Jokic steals) | ||
| 5:51 | | +3 | Nikola Jokic makes three point jump shot (Julian Strawther assists) | 19-20 |
| 5:35 | | Devin Carter misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 5:33 | | Russell Westbrook defensive rebound | ||
| 5:23 | | Aaron Gordon misses two point driving reverse layup | ||
| 5:20 | | Aaron Gordon offensive rebound | ||
| 5:20 | | Aaron Gordon misses two point tip layup | ||
| 5:19 | | Domantas Sabonis defensive rebound | ||
| 5:17 | | Nikola Jokic shooting foul (Malik Monk draws the foul) | ||
| 5:17 | | +1 | Malik Monk makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-20 |
| 5:17 | | Malik Monk misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 5:15 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 5:09 | | +3 | Russell Westbrook makes three point jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists) | 20-23 |
| 4:54 | | +2 | Keon Ellis makes two point driving layup (Devin Carter assists) | 22-23 |
| 4:38 | | Devin Carter shooting foul (Russell Westbrook draws the foul) | ||
| 4:38 | | Russell Westbrook misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 4:38 | | Nuggets offensive rebound | ||
| 4:38 | | +1 | Russell Westbrook makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-24 |
| 4:26 | | Keegan Murray misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:23 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 4:17 | | +3 | Julian Strawther makes three point pullup jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists) | 22-27 |
| 4:14 | | Kings 60 second timeout | ||
| 4:06 | | DeMar DeRozan misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:04 | | Russell Westbrook defensive rebound | ||
| 3:52 | | Julian Strawther misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:49 | | Trey Lyles defensive rebound | ||
| 3:33 | | +2 | De'Aaron Fox makes two point pullup jump shot (Domantas Sabonis assists) | 24-27 |
| 3:14 | | +2 | Julian Strawther makes two point driving layup (Nikola Jokic assists) | 24-29 |
| 3:14 | | De'Aaron Fox shooting foul (Julian Strawther draws the foul) | ||
| 3:14 | | +1 | Julian Strawther makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 24-30 |
| 2:58 | | Aaron Gordon shooting foul (DeMar DeRozan draws the foul) | ||
| 2:58 | | +1 | DeMar DeRozan makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-30 |
| 2:58 | | +1 | DeMar DeRozan makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-30 |
| 2:44 | | +2 | Nikola Jokic makes two point driving finger roll layup (Jamal Murray assists) | 26-32 |
| 2:30 | | De'Aaron Fox misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 2:28 | | Jamal Murray defensive rebound | ||
| 2:19 | | Domantas Sabonis shooting foul (Nikola Jokic draws the foul) | ||
| 2:19 | | +1 | Nikola Jokic makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-33 |
| 2:19 | | +1 | Nikola Jokic makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-34 |
| 2:08 | | Domantas Sabonis misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:05 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 2:02 | | +2 | Peyton Watson makes two point running dunk (Nikola Jokic assists) | 26-36 |
| 2:01 | | Kings 60 second timeout | ||
| 1:46 | | De'Aaron Fox turnover (lost ball) (Jamal Murray steals) | ||
| 1:35 | | Julian Strawther misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:31 | | Domantas Sabonis defensive rebound | ||
| 1:24 | | DeMar DeRozan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:21 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 1:16 | | Peyton Watson misses two point running layup | ||
| 1:14 | | DeMar DeRozan defensive rebound | ||
| 1:00 | | +3 | De'Aaron Fox makes three point pullup jump shot (Domantas Sabonis assists) | 29-36 |
| 0:48 | | +2 | Nikola Jokic makes two point driving hook shot (Julian Strawther assists) | 29-38 |
| 0:45 | | De'Aaron Fox turnover (bad pass) (Julian Strawther steals) | ||
| 0:38 | | +2 | Jamal Murray makes two point running finger roll layup | 29-40 |
| 0:21 | | Trey Lyles misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:19 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 0:05 | | Aaron Gordon turnover (bad pass) (Keon Ellis steals) | ||
| 0:03 | | +2 | Trey Lyles makes two point running dunk (Keon Ellis assists) | 31-40 |
| 0:00 | | Jamal Murray misses three point driving bank jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | Nuggets offensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:47 | | De'Aaron Fox misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 11:47 | | Nuggets defensive rebound | ||
| 11:35 | | Julian Strawther misses two point driving finger roll layup | ||
| 11:31 | | DeMar DeRozan defensive rebound | ||
| 11:23 | | Kevin Huerter misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:20 | | Keegan Murray offensive rebound | ||
| 11:17 | | Peyton Watson blocks DeMar DeRozan's two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 11:15 | | Peyton Watson defensive rebound | ||
| 11:14 | | Kevin Huerter shooting foul (Peyton Watson draws the foul) | ||
| 11:14 | | Peyton Watson misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 11:14 | | Nuggets offensive rebound | ||
| 11:14 | | +1 | Peyton Watson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-41 |
| 11:03 | | Trey Lyles misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:59 | |