Russell Westbrook scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Sacramento Kings to a 128-123 comeback win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday at Ball Arena. Dennis Schroder also contributed 21 points as Sacramento snapped an eight-game losing streak.
The Kings trailed by 13 in the third quarter but closed the period with a late surge, then opened the fourth with a 10-0 run to seize control. Keegan Murray added 19 points in his second game back from offseason thumb surgery, while DeMar DeRozan finished with 17, including a three-point play with 12 seconds remaining that sealed the victory.
Nikola Jokic had 44 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists for Denver, scoring 19 in the fourth, but the Nuggets were unable to overcome Sacramento’s late-game rally. Jamal Murray added 23 points and Cameron Johnson scored 20, while Denver played without Aaron Gordon, who suffered a right hamstring injury in Friday’s win at Houston.
Sacramento’s bench provided a spark, with Westbrook’s and Schroder’s production balancing the starters. The Kings shot 53% overall and 33% from three, capitalizing on key rebounds and free throws down the stretch.
Denver had taken a 79-66 lead midway through the third quarter, but Sacramento clawed back, eventually extending the lead to 114-105 on Westbrook’s layup. The Nuggets got within three in the final seconds after Jokic’s 3-pointer, but DeRozan’s free throws secured the win.
Spencer Jones made his first career start for Denver in place of Gordon, but the Nuggets could not sustain their lead. Sacramento will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, while Denver travels to Memphis for a matchup with the Grizzlies.
