Kings top Nuggets for third straight time this season

Field Level Media|published: Wed 14th February, 23:56 2024

Feb 14, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) and Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) following the game at Ball Arena. credits: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

De'Aaron Fox had 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, Domantas Sabonis finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds, and the visiting Sacramento Kings beat the Denver Nuggets 102-98 on Wednesday night.

Harrison Barnes also scored 20 points for Sacramento, which has won all three games against Denver this season.

Aaron Gordon had 25 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, Michael Porter Jr. finished with 19 points, Nikola Jokic added 15 points and Reggie Jackson contributed 12 points for the Nuggets. Denver has dropped three straight.

The Nuggets played without Jamal Murray (bilateral tibia inflammation) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (right hamstring).

Denver led by seven early in the fourth, a Fox 3-pointer tied it at 82-82 with seven minutes to go, and the teams then traded buckets from deep before Sabonis made a layup to give Sacramento an 87-85 lead 4:56 left, its first of the game.

Gordon hit four straight free throws to put Denver back in front, Fox missed a 3-pointer and Jackson beat the shot clock to make it 91-87.

Malik Monk and Jokic traded buckets to keep it a four-point game but Barnes hit a corner 3-pointer to spark 11 straight points by the Kings to give them a 100-93 lead with 58 seconds left.

Porter hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 102-98 and the Nuggets had three chances to get within one but missed a trio of 3-pointers on the same possession, and Sacramento held on.

Denver led by as many as 15 in the first half. The Kings used a 10-0 run to get within 35-30 but trailed 53-41 at halftime.

The Nuggets increased their lead to 16 early in the second half on a turnaround hook from Jokic but Sacramento chipped away. Barnes and Kevin Huerter hit 3-pointers, Jokic and Denver head coach Michael Malone were hit with technical fouls, and Barnes hit both free throws to make it 67-60.

Peyton Watson drained one from deep to stretch the lead to 72-63 but the Kings used an 8-2 run to close the third and pull within 74-71 heading into the fourth.

—Field Level Media