SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 17 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter and the Denver Nuggets beat the Sacramento Kings 117-113 on Thursday night for their fourth straight win.
Nikola Jokic had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and the Nuggets maintained their lead atop the Western Conference by winning for the eighth time in 10 games. Mason Plumlee added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Buddy Hield had 29 points to lead the Kings, who have lost three straight.
The Kings held a 13-point lead at the half and were ahead 70-55 early in the third period when Murray scored eight straight points — including a pair of 3-pointers — to lead a 13-point Denver run. The Nuggets took the lead later in the period, and the game was tied 84-84 entering the fourth.
Murray hit a 3-pointer to open the final period, and the Nuggets never trailed again. They built a 10-point lead with six minutes remaining, but Hield made three straight 3-pointers to keep Sacramento close.
The Kings pulled within 108-106 with 1:25 left before Murray made consecutive 3-pointers for the Nuggets.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Murray was 6 for 12 on 3-pointers. ... Denver outrebounded the Kings 54-33. ... Denver coach Michael Malone was the Kings’ coach from 2013-15.
Kings: Nemanja Bjelica had 17 points, but only five after the first quarter. ... DeAaron Fox had 16 points and eight assists. ... Sacramento has lost three straight to the Nuggets, including both games so far this season.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: At home Saturday against Charlotte in a reunion of the Hernangomez brothers (Denver’s Juancho and Charlotte’s Willy).
