Nikola Jokic scored 44 points but the tired Nuggets lost on the second night of a back-to-back 128-123 to Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings.
Cam Johnson played arguably his best game as a Nugget and finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Jamal Murray added 23. Russell Westbrook had a monster fourth quarter for the Kings and finished with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists.
Here’s what else stood out for the game.
David Adelman gets crazy
With Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun out and the Nuggets on the second night of a back-to-back, you knew the Nuggets would have some wacky rotations. That’s exactly what happened.
Spencer Jones started in Gordon’s place at power forward. Hunter Tyson…yes, Hunter Tyson, played 8 first-half minutes. The Nuggets bench was giving Denver such good minutes that Jokic only played 16 first-half minutes. It was a weird first half that saw the Nuggets outscore the Kings 65-61.
Adelman was in his bag and you got the feeling it was exactly the type of game that he loves coaching. But he might have leaned too far into the bit, putting the foul-prone Jones on DeMar DeRozan with the game on the line late. Jones fouled and gave DeRozan a 3-point play that sealed the game for Sacramento.
Cam Johson’s finding his rhythm
It’s been a slow build for Johnson so far this season as he gets comfortable in Denver’s offense, but he looked confident and played aggressive tonight where the shorthanded Nuggets needed him to. Johnson and Jokic teamed together in the pick-and-roll often against the Kings that produced basket after basket.
Johnson also hit three triples in the first three quarters and heading to the fourth was tied as the Nuggets second-leading scorer behind Jokic.
Weird energy from Jokic
Nikola Jokic was dominat when he wanted to be on Saturday but had a weird energy to his game. He was flopping a lot. He looked like he was trying to egg the Kings defenders on.
Maybe it was the back-to-back, maybe it was tired legs, maybe something else. But it was one of those performances where it seemed like Jokic was distracted by something. It wasn’t his most efficient shooting night either.
