Nikola Jokic Scores 33 Points, Nuggets Beat Kings, 121-111

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets person struggled to clasp leads successful the 3rd 4th this season. When different 1 was slipping away, the reigning MVP carried them.

Nikola Jokic had 12 of his precocious 33 points successful the 3rd 4th and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the Nuggets bushed the Sacramento Kings 121-111 connected Friday nighttime to extremity a two-game losing streak.

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“For immoderate crushed we play a small sloppy starting 3rd quarters and I tried to situation them and (Jokic) led the charge,” acting caput manager Popeye Jones said.

Jokic reached 20 points for the seventh consecutive crippled arsenic Denver got reinforcements backmost from wellness and information protocols.

Forwards Jeff Green and Zeke Nnaji were activated disconnected the COVID-19 database portion Aaron Gordon and Bones Hyland played aft being sent location from Thursday’s movie league owed to non-COVID-19 illnesses. Green had 18 points, Hyland 13 and Gordon 10.

Denver manager Michael Malone remained successful wellness and information protocols and has missed 4 consecutive games. Jones, successful his archetypal play arsenic an adjunct with the Nuggets, is 2-2 portion serving arsenic the acting caput coach.

“We anticipation to get our pb vocalist backmost soon,” Jones said.
De’Aaron Fox had 30 points for the Kings, his 3rd consecutive crippled with 30 oregon much points. They person mislaid 3 consecutive and 4 of five.

“We didn’t commencement the crippled precise bully and we were playing uphill from there,” interim caput manager Alvin Gentry said. “This is not a bully squad to play uphill against.”

Denver utilized a 16-4 tally successful the archetypal 4th to interruption unfastened a adjacent game. The Kings chopped it to five, but the Nuggets went up by 20 precocious successful the 2nd connected a Jokic 3-pointer.

“We tried to springiness Joker a batch of antithetic looks,” Gentry said. “I thought we did a beauteous bully occupation connected him. We took the shot retired of his hands immoderate but we made it truthful casual for the different guys.”

Sacramento closed to 66-54 astatine halftime and opened the 3rd connected a 12-4 tally to marque it 70-66. Jokic started to instrumentality over, scoring 9 points successful a 1:28 to propulsion the pb to 87-72.

“He’s a pugnacious guard. He tin bash a small spot of everything and contiguous helium was making shots, too, truthful it made it other difficult,” Alex Len said.

The King chopped the shortage to eight, but the Nuggets went connected a 17-5 tally into the 4th fourth to propulsion away.

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Tip-Ins

Kings: F Richaun Holmes and C Chimezie Metu are inactive successful wellness and information protocols. Sacramento made Neemias Queta, Jahmi’us Ramsey and Robert Woodard II disposable Friday night. … Terence Davis (ankle) was disposable aft being sidelined for 5 games.

Nuggets: F Petr Cornelie entered wellness and information protocols connected Friday morning. … F Vlatko Cancar had country connected Friday greeting to repair a fracture of his 5th metatarsal. He suffered the wounded Monday astatine Dallas. … Assistant manager Jordi Fernandez returned from COVID-19 wellness and information protocols.

Painting Party

The Nuggets took vantage of unfastened lanes to enactment up a play precocious 70 points successful the paint. Denver had 11 dunks, 2 by Green successful the last infinitesimal of the 3rd quarter, some disconnected of passes from Facu Campazzo.

“I’m conscionable playing disconnected him. Facu magic,” Green said. “He’s making it enactment with his pace, his quality to pass, the lone happening I person to bash is acceptable the surface and roll. He does each the hard work.”

Denver finished with 32 assists, with 7 each by Jokic and Campazzo.

“We made immoderate large passes, we got everyone involved, and that’s however we’ve got to play,” JaMychal Green said. “We did a large occupation of playing disconnected of Joker.”

Up Next

Kings: At Portland connected Sunday night.

Nuggets: At Oklahoma City connected Sunday night.

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