Sacramento Kings Snap Skid, Stun Nuggets in Mile High City 128-123

In the NBA, where games come at you like rapid fire, losing for two weeks straight doesn’t just hurt the standings; it rots the morale. The Sacramento Kings arrived in Denver carrying that weight. They looked like a team ready to fold, especially walking into the home of Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

But on Saturday night, the Sacramento Kings didn’t fold. They fought. In a game that swung wildly in momentum, Sacramento clawed back from a 13-point deficit to stun Denver 128-123, finally exhaling after weeks of holding their breath.

Westbrook Turns Back the Clock

For three quarters, this looked like the same old story for the Sacramento Kings. Jokic was having his way, carving up the defense with surgical precision en route to a massive 44-point, 13-rebound night. But when the fourth quarter started, Russell Westbrook decided he’d had enough.

Westbrook, who has become accustomed to the role of spark plug rather than superstar in recent years, channeled his MVP vintage. He poured in 15 of his 21 points in the final frame, attacking the rim with a ferocity that seemed to catch Denver off guard. His energy was infectious. You could see the shift in body language on the Sacramento Kings’ bench. Suddenly, the team that couldn’t buy a win looked like the aggressor.

With just under nine minutes left, Westbrook drilled a three-pointer to give the Kings a six-point cushion. Minutes later, he drove through the teeth of the defense for a finger-roll layup that extended the lead to nine. It wasn’t just about scoring; he dished out 11 assists on the night.

DeRozan Closes the Door

While Westbrook ignited the comeback, DeMar DeRozan was the one who put the nail in the coffin. The veteran has made a career out of calm under pressure, and Saturday was no different.

The Nuggets, resilient as ever, refused to go away quietly. Jokic hit a three-pointer with 29 seconds left to cut the lead to three, sending a nervous murmur through the Kings’ huddle. But coming out of the timeout, Sacramento put the ball in DeRozan’s hands. He isolated, rose, and banked in a jumper while drawing a foul on rookie Spencer Jones. The three-point play with 12 seconds remaining was a masterclass in composure.

He added two more free throws in the waning seconds to ice it, finishing with 17 points. It wasn’t his highest scoring night, but those final points were the loudest of the game.

A Total Team Effort

This wasn’t a two-man show, though. Dennis Schroder was instrumental, matching Westbrook’s 21 points and adding seven assists. Keegan Murray chipped in 19, hitting timely buckets when the offense stagnated.

Defensively, the Sacramento Kings managed to turn Denver over 13 times while only committing six turnovers themselves—a crucial stat in a five-point game. They weathered the storm of Jokic’s brilliance, largely because they didn’t let anyone else beat them. With Aaron Gordon out due to a hamstring injury, the Nuggets lacked that secondary physical presence, and Sacramento exploited it.

Breaking the Cycle

For Denver, this is a wake-up call. Losing at home to a team on an eight-game skid—just days after losing to Chicago, who was on a five-game skid—suggests a lack of focus against struggling opponents. They allowed Sacramento to shoot nearly 53% from the field. You simply can’t trade buckets with a desperate team and expect to win on talent alone.

For the Sacramento Kings, this win is oxygen. It stops the bleeding. It quiets the noise, at least for a night. They head home to host Minnesota on Monday with the monkey finally off their back.

Sometimes, one win is all it takes to remember who you are.