Nuggets hand Kings eighth consecutive loss
Gary Harris scored 24 points and Nikola Jokic recorded a double-double, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 105-92 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif.
Jokic posted 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Nuggets (31-35), who have won three of their last four games. Danilo Gallinari scored 15 points. Jamal Murray came off the bench to score 14.
Buddy Hield scored 17 points for the Kings (25-41), who have lost eight in a row. Tyreke Evans had 16 points off the bench. Willie Cauley-Stein scored 13 points and Kosta Koufos had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Denver led by five on a couple of occasions early in the first quarter before Sacramento came back to tie the game on a jumper by Aaron Afflalo. The Nuggets responded with an 8-0 run to take a 23-15 lead on a basket by Jameer Nelson.
The Nuggets went up 33-21 following a pair of 3-pointers by Juancho Hernangomez early in the second period. They stretched the lead to 14 on a 3-pointer by Murray. The Kings cut the deficit to 11 on a 3-pointer by Hield and trailed 54-44 at the break after Hield made a driving layup late in the first half.
Denver went up by 12 early in the third quarter. Sacramento responded with a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to five on a 3-pointer by Hield. The Kings got within two on a jumper by Cauley-Stein, but the Nuggets quickly regained control and took a 71-61 lead on a 3-pointer by Gary Harris.
The Nuggets went up by 12 in the fourth quarter before the Kings battled back to get within four on a basket by Evans. Murray and Gallinari made big 3-pointers down the stretch to help Denver withstand the charge.
NOTES: Denver PF Nikola Jokic was in the lineup for the second night in a row after missing two games due to illness. ... Nuggets coach Michael Malone praised SG Gary Harris' effort in a victory over Boston on Friday, saying his defense on Celtics star Isaiah Thomas "was inspiring." ... Sacramento SG Tyreke Evans returned after being held out of Friday's game against Washington. The Kings are giving Evans one night off to rest in all back-to-back situations.