Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets destroy the still helpless Kings

The Nuggets wrapped up their four-game road trip with a final stop in Sacramento to challenge a Kings team that had won just one of its last six games. Without Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, it is Keegan Murray who is responsible for opening the score, but Denver directly responds and we witness the beginning of a match where two teams are skilled, like Nikola Jokic (36 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists) who made the first five shots. However, Denver serves the lines on defense in the second part of this first act and continues to advance on offense to take a 15-point lead after twelve minutes of play (41-26).

The second quarter begins with another Denver basket thanks to Jonas Valanciunas who gets the best Maquime Raynaud (15 points, 9 rebounds) inside before connecting on a long shot on a possession where he was completely forgotten by the Kings defense (46-26). Sacramento tries to come back and goes 9-0, but Cam Johnson calms the fire that appeared with the prize shot. Later, the winger retook his team’s twenty-step lead, and the visitors had a large lead at halftime (77-54).

Kings without reaction

Doug Christie is unable to correct his team’s defensive woes during the locker room as Sacramento starts the second half with a 10-0 lead and we have to wait three minutes to see the Kings score their first basket over Keon Ellis (87-56).

His team has largely dominated, Doug Christie is trying to revive Devin Carter (13 points, 4 assists) who hasn’t played in a month. The leader appears with seven points and two assists in eight minutes in the third quarter, but it is not enough to start a comeback and the Kings still have a 28-point deficit before the start of the final act (109-81).

Unsurprisingly, Sacramento is unable to claw its way back into the game, losing mostly (136-103), while Denver is coming off its fourth straight before hosting the Rockets this Monday.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– The Kings defense is absent. The Kings are among the five worst defenses in the League this season and it was shown during this duel against Denver. If at the start of the match, Sacramento, thanks to its skill, managed to oppose Nikola Jokić’s teammates, as soon as shots stopped coming, the Kings failed to tighten their defense to stay in the match. Doug Christie’s men were already 22 points behind at half-time and left the defense in the locker room conceding 10-0 straight after the break. The Kings finished the game allowing more than 135 points (136) for the second time this season.

– Maxime Raynaud suffered. It will be a complicated evening for the Frenchman who will have to contend with Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas inside and that was the case. From the beginning of the match, the Serbian enjoyed making the first five shots, and finished the game with 36 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists. Jonas Valanciunas took over from the bench with his 15 points. However, the Frenchman finished the night with 15 points and 9 rebounds, including a long-range shot against Jonas Valanciunas late in the game.

– A perfect “trip” for the Nuggets. Denver embarked on a four-game road trip across the United States during which they played only weaker teams with the exception of the Hawks. More specifically, if David Adelman’s men had difficulty beating Atlanta, they played against the Pacers, Hornets and Kings. The Nuggets return home on a four-game winning streak before facing the Rockets this Monday, a team they already defeated in late November.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.