The Nuggets won twice on Monday: on the scoreboard and in the minutes column of their box score.
Relying on depth to take the edge off starters who’ve encountered minor injuries early this season, Denver held off the Sacramento Kings at Ball Arena for a 130-124 win. Nikola Jokic recorded 34 points, seven rebounds, 14 assists and three steals in his most aggressive game of the season so far as a scorer to lead Denver.
Jamal Murray played perhaps his weakest game yet, but he still contributed 15 points, seven boards and seven assists. Dealing with calf tightness, he also took a critical charge with a minute to go and Denver protecting an eight-point lead. He played only 32 minutes.
Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun both scored 20 or more in fewer than 32 minutes. The Nuggets (4-2) never pulled away but never relinquished control. They host the red-hot Miami heat on Wednesday.
Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric returned to Denver after both spending a year with the team. Saric was honored with a brief graphic on the jumbotron and a smattering of applause, followed by a standing ovation for Westbrook when the Nuggets played a minute-long tribute video. He then went for 26 points to lead Sacramento — plus 12 rebounds, six assists and six turnovers.
For the first time this season, Nuggets coach David Adelman used an all-bench unit in the first half, with Julian Strawther handling the minutes usually occupied by Murray to fill out the lineup. The young guard committed a turnover on his first possession, but he settled in defensively by recovering nicely around a ball screen to contest a missed shot.
Nikola Jokic’s sub rotation is game-by-game under David Adelman: ‘The depth helps’
The all-bench lineup was outscored by only one point in more than five minutes of action, before Adelman put three starters back in around Bruce Brown and Jonas Valanciunas and Bruce Brown. Brown’s contributions have been quiet so far this season — hustle plays, defensive jolts, etc. — but he also scored 10 points Monday in a solid all-around performance.
Adelman went back to a Murray stagger in the fourth quarter, but the Kings chipped away at an 11-point deficit. Jokic returned with 8:15 to go in a 110-104 game after a Dennis Schroder midrange jumper made Adelman sweat enough to take a timeout. Jokic and Brown knocked down consecutive 3-pointers out of the huddle to restore some order.
Meanwhile, Cam Johnson remained in a shooting slump with an 0-for-5 night outside the arc that overshadowed other areas of the game where he made an impact. He played just under 30 minutes as he’s been dealing with shoulder pain over the last week.
Johnson managed an effective game as a cutter, scoring on a give-and-go with Jokic during the fourth quarter. He put together one impressive first-half sequence with a pull-up midrange jumper followed by a tough bucket earned by crashing the offensive glass. He reached 10 points. His 3-pointer was just short of where it needed to be, literally.
DeMar DeRozan and Schroder combined for 37 points for the Kings. Former Colorado and Colorado State player Nique Clifford added eight points and three assists (and five fouls) off Sacramento’s bench.
Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.