Russell Westbrook scored 25 points, Nikola Jokic added 22 points and 15 rebounds and the host Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Sacramento Kings 116-110 on Wednesday.
Denver outscored Sacramento 32-17 in the fourth quarter to pull away.
Jamal Murray produced 24 points and eight assists, Michael Porter Jr. contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds, Christian Braun finished with 15 points and seven assists and Zeke Nnaji scored 10 points for Denver. The Nuggets, who have alternated wins and losses over the past seven games, have won all three meetings with Sacramento this season.
DeMar DeRozan scored 35 points, Zach LaVine had 20 points, Jonas Valanciunas finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, Jake LaRavia added 15 points and Keon Ellis contributed 11 for the Kings, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.
Denver trailed by nine after three quarters but surged to start the fourth with Jokic on the bench. Westbrook scored the first seven points for the Nuggets and Nnaji hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to give the hosts a 96-95 lead, their first advantage since early in the first quarter.
Valanciunas split a pair of free throws and DeRozan hit a turnaround jumper in the lane to put Sacramento ahead, and LaVine’s two free throws subsequently gave the Kings a 102-99 lead.
Westbrook hit a layup, Murray was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all three free throws and Jokic split a pair of foul shots to put Denver up 105-102 with 3:40 left.
LaVine hit two 3-pointers, but Murray and Westbrook sank treys before Denver closed it out from the line.
The Kings led by 13 after the first quarter, but Murray hit three free throws to pull the Nuggets within 65-55 going into halftime.
DeRozan sank two from deep as Sacramento stretched the lead to 75-61 early in the third, but the Nuggets responded with eight straight points. Denver had a chance to cut it to three, but Porter missed a 3-point attempt. DeRozan hit another from behind the arc that put Sacramento up 84-75.
Westbrook’s corner 3-pointer got Denver within 88-84, but DeRozan responded with his fourth 3-pointer of the period and soon scored off his own miss to give the Kings a 93-84 edge heading into the fourth.
–Field Level Media
