Jamal Murray led the Denver Nuggets to a thrilling 130-129 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Monday night, scoring a team-high 28 points and hitting the game-winning shot with 8.6 seconds remaining.
Nikola Jokic also played a key role, recording his 140th career triple-double with 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, contributing to the Nuggets’ third consecutive win.
Although the Nuggets had built a 23-point lead in the second quarter, they found themselves down by 10 with 4:10 left in the game but managed to stage a strong comeback.
With 20.5 seconds remaining, the Kings took a 129-128 lead following a dunk by DeMar DeRozan, prompting the Nuggets to call a timeout.
Murray then connected on a 17-foot shot, assisted by Jokic, giving Denver the lead for good. DeRozan missed a 6-foot attempt at the buzzer, and the Nuggets held on for the win.
Sacramento had quickly bounced back from an early deficit, trailing 24-6 and 44-21 in the second quarter. Doug McDermott hit three 3-pointers, and DeRozan contributed 11 points, including three three-point plays, as the Kings outscored the Nuggets 47-41 in the second period.
At halftime, Sacramento trailed 75-68, setting up a competitive second half.
With 4:10 left, the Nuggets were behind 119-109 but went on a 14-3 run, taking a 123-122 lead following a 10-foot shot by Jokic with 1:15 remaining.
The teams traded quick baskets, with DeRozan’s dunk putting the Kings up by one before Murray’s decisive shot gave Denver the lead.
Jokic notched his 10th triple-double of the season, the most in the league, and moved into third place all-time in triple-doubles, behind Russell Westbrook (200) and Oscar Robertson (181). Westbrook nearly recorded a triple-double himself, finishing with 18 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds.
Aaron Gordon scored 24 points for the Nuggets, while Julian Strawther contributed 13, and Michael Porter Jr. had 11.
For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox led the team with 29 points, while Domantas Sabonis posted 28 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Malik Monk had 25 points and a team-high 10 assists. DeRozan finished with 17 points, McDermott had 16, and Keon Ellis added 12.
