What we learned when Kings squandered comeback in loss to Nuggets

On By Littum

What we learned when Kings squandered comeback in loss to Nuggets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SACRAMENTO – Domantas Sabonis put together another stellar game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a sluggish start by the Kings in their 130-129 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

Sabonis had 28 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, leading a group of five Kings players in double figures. De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points to go with seven assists. Malik Monk scored 25 points, while DeMar DeRozan added 17 points and Doug McDermott had 16.

The Kings trailed by 23 and allowed 75 points in the first half before getting things back on track in the second half.

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The game was close at the end. There were seven lead changes over the final 75 seconds, with DeRozan’s baseline dunk with 18 seconds left bringing the Golden 1 Center crowd to its feet.

However, the Kings couldn’t make it last. Denver’s Jamal Murray sank a 16-foot jumper with 8.6 seconds left for the game-winning shot.

The Kings played without Keegan Murray (left ankle soreness) and Kevin Huerter (left AC Joint sprain).

Here are the takeaways from Monday’s game:

Dougie starts in place of Keegan

McDermott was solid while starting in place of Murray after the Kings forward was a late scratch. McDermott had the hottest hand on Sacramento’s roster, shooting 6 of 9 overall (4 of 7 from behind the arc).

McDermott’s third start of the 2024-25 NBA season came eight days after he electrified the Golden 1 Center crowd by coming off the bench to score 18 points on six shots in six minutes against the Utah Jazz.

Jokić against Domas

In a classic battle of big men, Sabonis gave Jokić all he could handle, though Jokić ended up with the better stat line with his NBA-leading 10th triple-double of the season.

Sabonis came close and showed no fear in the matchup between former triple-double champs, going straight at and through Jokić multiple times, though Joker got the last laugh with the win.

Protection of the paint

The Nuggets are second in the NBA in scoring in the paint, and they continued that trend against the Kings with an absurd 76-58 advantage. That’s 33 more points than the Kings have allowed inside the key, and they ended up being the difference.

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