A dismal 2nd half performance led to the Sacramento Kings losing to the Denver Nuggets 114-98. Denver was without ex-Kings head coach Michael Malone after he was suspended for contact with an official. The Nuggets started the game well, taking an 11-5 lead with 9:21 left in the first. Efficient defense from Sacramento allowed them to close the gap to three points later in the quarter. The Nuggets only made 7 of their first 20 shots while the Kings ended the quarter on a 15-8 run to tie the game at 22-22.
The 2nd quarter produced slightly better results from the Nuggets as they sunk 7 of their next 10 shots, but the Kings managed to keep the game close for the rest of the half. The Nuggets turned the ball over 11 times in the first half, with 9 of them being steals.
The Nuggets finally separated from the Kings in the 3rd quarter, outscoring them 34-23. They ended the quarter on a 19-9 run, scoring 7 three-pointers in that quarter alone. Sacramento struggled to defend Denver’s offense in the 2nd half as their shooting percentage rose to 48.8 percent by the end. The Kings winning streak at home ended as they fell 114-98.
George Hill and Kosta Koufos led the team with 16 points each, Zach Randolph grabbed 6 boards, and Frank Mason III had 6 assists. Will Barton led the Nuggets in scoring (25) and assists (5) while Nikola Jokic led with 14 rebounds. The loss drops the Kings to 4-13 and they will look to rebound when they host the Lakers on Wednesday.
