Following their victory over the Los Angeles Clippers with a score of 120-98 on Friday, the Denver Nuggets managed a close 130-129 triumph against the Sacramento Kings on Monday. The combination of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Russell Westbrook provided a strong and unified performance throughout the game, propelling the Nuggets to victory.
This win brought the Nuggets’ record to 14-10, placing them fifth in the Western Conference standings, while the Kings fell to 13-14, landing in 12th place in the West.
Denver Nuggets’ Key Trio Shines While Kings Fall Short
The Nuggets’ trio of Jokic, Murray, and Westbrook put forth an impressive display, contributing a total of 66 points, 29 assists, 25 rebounds, six steals, and two blocks.
Jokic notched yet another triple-double, finishing the game with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and three steals, while making 7 of 13 attempts inside the arc and hitting 3 of 4 free throws. This marked his tenth triple-double of the season.
Nikola Jokic tonight:
20 Points
14 Rebounds
13 Assists
3 Steals pic.twitter.com/eGygq5zxQd— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 17, 2024
Jamal Murray led Denver’s scoring efforts with 28 points, contributing six assists, two rebounds, and one block. Aaron Gordon also made a significant impact, scoring 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting, along with seven rebounds and two assists. Russell Westbrook added 18 points, nine rebounds, ten assists, and three steals to the winning effort.
The Kings fought valiantly, spearheaded by De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Fox was the top scorer of the night, finishing with 29 points, along with seven assists and five rebounds.
Sabonis had an impressive performance, totaling 28 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and three steals, but his efforts were not enough to claim victory. Malik Monk chipped in with 25 points, ten assists, and six rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan contributed 17 points, and Doug McDermott added 16 points off the bench.
The Kings are set to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, while the Nuggets will go up against the Portland Trail Blazers on the same day.
Image Source: Nikola Jokic @ Instagram
