DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored a season-high 34 points and had 14 assists, Aaron Gordon added 20 points and the Denver Nuggets never trailed in a 130-124 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Monday night.
Jokic, who opened the season with four straight triple-doubles, grabbed a season-low four rebounds but has recorded at least a double-double in the first six games.
The Nuggets have won six straight against Sacramento dating to the 2023-24 season.
Russell Westbrook had 26 points and 12 rebounds, both season highs, against his former team. Seven Sacramento players scored in double figures, but Zach LaVine, who entered Monday averaging 29.5 points, finished with a season-low 15 on just 4-of-11 shooting.
Westbrook received a warm ovation from the crowd when he was recognized at the first timeout of the game. Westbrook averaged 13.3 points in 75 games in 2024-25, his only season with Denver, and 11.7 points during the playoffs.
Nuggets coach David Adelman praised Westbrook’s play during the postseason, saying before the game that Denver would not have beaten the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round without the 18-year veteran.
Jokic scored 15 points in the opening quarter, when the Nuggets led by as many as 12. He was on the bench to start the fourth quarter and Sacramento pulled within 110-104. Jokic returned and hit a 3-pointer, fed Bruce Brown for a corner 3-pointer and made two layups.
He helped seal the win with a steal and a layup that pushed the lead to 130-117 with 2:37 left.
Christian Braun scored a season-high 21 points in a bounce-back game for the fourth-year pro. Braun had five points and four turnovers in Friday’s loss at Portland.
Up next
Kings: Host Golden State on Wednesday night.
Nuggets: Continue their four-game homestand against Miami on Wednesday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
By MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press
