Nikola Jokic has 5th straight triple-double to help Nuggets beat Kings, 132-123

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had his fifth straight triple-double before the fourth quarter, finishing with 35 points, 22 rebounds and a season-high 17 assists to help the Denver Nuggets beat the Sacramento Kings 132-123 on Thursday night.

Jokic has an NBA-leading 20 triple-doubles this season, 14 before the fourth quarter. He had 20 points and 20 rebounds by the end of the third quarter.

The Nuggets led by 22 at halftime and used a 14-5 run at the end of the third, with a goal Jokic’s 66-foot heave at the buzzer to take a 25-point lead.

Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 17 rebounds for Sacramento. The Kings lost for the third time in 13 games since Doug Christie took over as interim coach.

The Kings scored the first 14 points of the fourth to get as close as 126-121.

Takeaways

Kings: Faced a tough back-to-back after beating Golden State at home Wednesday night. They had a furious rally to make it close, but couldn’t make up a 25-point deficit.

Nuggets: Jokic, named an All-Star starter, had 12 points in the fourth quarter. Christian Braun had 21 points and Michael Porter Jr. 20 points for Denver, who have won four in a row.

Key moment

The Kings could have wrapped it up after Jokic’s three-quarter-court basket, but they trailed Denver at the start of the fourth. It brought Jokic back instead of taking another fourth quarter.

Key state

Doug McDermott, who was taken by the Nuggets in 2014 and traded to Chicago on draft night, was 5 of 7 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter to get the Kings within two possessions.

Next

The Kings continue their six-game road trip in New York on Saturday night. The Nuggets begin a five-game road trip in Minnesota on Saturday.

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