Kings comeback falls short as Nuggets squeak out win

Dec 16, 2024, 9:47 PM | Updated: Dec 17, 2024, 7:34 am

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 16: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Aaron...

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

After trailing by 23 points early in the second quarter, it looked as if the Sacramento Kings would complete a comeback for the ages–one that would lift the Beam Team above the .500 mark for the first time in nearly a month.

Trailing by ten points with just over four minutes remaining, the Denver Nuggets did just enough to overcome a deficit of their own and sneak out of Golden 1 Center with a 130-129 win on Monday night.

The one-point loss—Sacramento’s ninth loss this season by five points or less—ended the Kings’ three-game winning streak and dropped them to 13-14 on the year.

As impressive as Sacramento looked for nearly three quarters on Monday, a dismal performance in the first quarter and a forgettable final stretch of the fourth quarter would prove fatal as the experienced Nuggets capitalized when it mattered most.

BLOW FOR BLOW IN SACRAMENTO…

Jamal Murray puts DEN back up 1 with 8 seconds left!

📲 https://t.co/YfVCVQAELv pic.twitter.com/zTuiKIrGY7

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2024

Kings vs. Nuggets recap & takeaways

It didn’t take long for Mike Brown to call a timeout–or two–on Monday night.

Brown, known for his quick timeout calls when he sees something he doesn’t like, wasn’t happy early in this one as Denver quickly put Sacramento in a double-digit hole as fans were still getting settled into their seats. The veteran head coach called two timeouts over the first 4:10 of play to search for answers as a thin Kings rotation struggled on both ends of the floor from the tip.

The Nuggets hammered Sacramento’s second-ranked paint defense early, outscoring the Kings 24-12 in the first quarter and taking a 41-21 lead after twelve minutes of play.

Denver’s physicality took Sacramento out of the game early, as the Nuggets out-rebounded the Kings 18-9 in the first quarter while also collecting seven offensive boards in the opening period.

With three-time MVP Nikola Jokic on the bench, the Kings made their move during the opening stretch of the second quarter to trim the deficit to 12 points, and they wouldn’t stop there.

DeMar DeRozan (11 points in the second quarter) got his offense going in the second to help lead Sacramento back from a 23-point deficit, while De’Aaron Fox’s burst of eight points over the final minutes of the half trimmed Denver’s lead to 75-68.

The Kings outscored the Nuggets 47-34 during the second quarter (Sacramento’s highest-scoring quarter of the year), a 12-minute span that saw the Beam Team shoot 16-of-24 (67%) from the floor.

With DeRozan and Fox dialing it in on the offensive end and the Kings beginning to match Denver’s physicality, it appeared we would have a ballgame after all.

Keon makin’ PLAYS 😤 pic.twitter.com/pNyUY3P7kF

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) December 17, 2024

The halftime break wouldn’t slow Sacramento’s momentum–not one bit.

Malik Monk injected life into Golden 1 Center by scoring 12 points over the first five minutes of the third quarter, putting the Kings ahead of the Nuggets for the first time all night as Denver’s offense stalled.

Monk’s 15 points in the third quarter acted as the driving force behind Sacramento taking its first lead of the night, one that they wouldn’t relinquish as play entered the fourth.

After being outscored 41-21 in the first quarter, the Kings brought the hammer down on the Nuggets, outscoring them 82-55 in the second and third periods to take a seven-point lead into the final frame.

While Sacramento displayed signs of regaining total control down the final stretch, an ice-cold Denver offense finally broke through from the perimeter, knocking down three triples over the first five minutes in a sign of what was to come for the Nuggets.

Denver went on a 12-3 run during the final stretch to put itself back in front of the Kings, taking a 123-122 lead with 1:15 to go. Over the final 75 seconds of play, the two Western Conference counterparts traded bucket after bucket, with Jamal Murray’s go-ahead jumper putting the Nuggets ahead by one point with eight seconds on the clock.

Sacramento had a good look on the final possession, as Domantas Sabonis found a cutting DeMar DeRozan for what would be the game-winning attempt. DeRozan fumbled the pass, having to force a tough look as time expired, resulting in a one-point win for the Nuggets.

The Kings draw up an exquisite set that creates a major advantage but Demar Derozan fumbles the pass on the baseline and has to settle for a tough fadeaway. The Nuggets ESCAPE with a victory.pic.twitter.com/en1B2tM6Q3

— Hot Hand Theory (@HotHandTheory) December 17, 2024

Denver ended the night on a 21-10 run over the final four minutes of the fourth quarter, erasing the Kings’ late ten-point lead and dropping Sacramento to 6-8 on their home floor.

The Nuggets shot a perfect seven-for-seven from the floor and four-of-four from the free-throw line during the final four minutes of play–a perfect ending that had to happen for Denver to finish things off.

It’s easy to point to the 43-23 first-quarter performance, but the Kings likely lost the game in the paint on Monday night.

Sacramento entered the night, allowing just over 42 paint points per game this season (second-lowest in the NBA). The Nuggets scored 50 paint points during the first half and ended the night outscoring the Kings 76-58 in that department.

“This is where our team needs to grow sooner than later,” head coach Mike Brown said of the one-point loss. “We have to, we have to lock-in. We have to lock into the details. The back cuts tonight, especially play after play after play, were inexcusable.”

As Brown stated, Sacramento’s one-point loss is certainly inexcusable when you look at the fact that somehow, some way, the Kings held a double-digit lead with four minutes to go.

Denver got free on the offensive end and capitalized on the Kings’ misfortunes, including a bad pass from Sabonis with 90 seconds remaining that gave the Nuggets a one-point lead.

SHOWTIME 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1ZLt2s9JPy

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) December 17, 2024

Sacramento got massive performances from its starting lineup during the loss, and even that wasn’t enough.

De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points, had seven assists, and was huge in the clutch.
Malik Monk continued to look like he belongs in a starting role (25 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists).
Domantas Sabonis battled through a back injury and finished the night with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists.
DeMar DeRozan had 18 points, although his fumbled opportunity in the closing seconds looms large.
Doug McDermott filled in for the injured Keegan Murray by hitting four of his seven three-point attempts and finishing the night with 16 points.

The Kings’ starters combined for 115 points. The bench? 14 points–12 scored by Keon Ellis, who also collected five (yes, five) blocks.

Meanwhile, Denver’s bench contributed 29 points during the one-point win in what was the latest reminder that as good as Sacramento’s starting five may be, they desperately need to upgrade the second unit if they hope to climb the Western Conference standings.

A rough first quarter put the Kings behind the eight-ball. Poor paint defense made any hopes of a comeback effort unlikely, yet they found a way. In the end, lack of depth, experience, and execution won the game for Denver.

Sacramento will have to use the loss as a lesson, but at some point, lessons must be learned. Will the Kings learn this time around?

Notes

Keon Ellis had four blocks tonight vs. DEN, his second career game with 4+ blocks. Since blocks were first recorded during the 1973-74 season, Ellis is just the third Kings guard with multiple games with four blocks or more. He joins De’Aaron Fox (2) and Mike Woodson (2).

Injury Report

Keegan Murray (left ankle soreness) was added to the injury report late on Monday before being ruled out for the first time this season. Murray is considered day-to-day.

Kevin Huerter (left AC joint sprain) was ruled out after suffering the injury to his left shoulder on Thursday in New Orleans. Huerter is considered day-to-day.

Trey Lyles (right calf strain) has been seen going through workouts on the side of Kings practices, but it’s unclear when he will return to game action. Lyles was given a 3-4 week recovery timetable on November 27th.

Devin Carter (left shoulder surgery) continues to make progress in his return from torn labrum surgery. Carter has been participating in on-court activities and is getting closer to being re-evaluated. Still on track to debut sometime in January.

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

Sacramento will continue a five-game homestand on Thursday night in the first of two straight games against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Earlier this season on October 26th, the Kings fell short in Los Angeles, losing to the Lakers by a final of 131-127 as LeBron James took over in the fourth quarter (16 points, five rebounds, six assists in the period).

Be sure to catch all of the Kings vs. Lakers action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 2:00 PM PT on The Drive Guys before action tips off at 7:00 PM PT from downtown Sacramento.