The Nuggets refuse to lose on the road. They have won 11 consecutive games away from Ball Arena after a 136-105 rout of the Kings on Thursday, completing a 3-1 season series victory over Sacramento. Denver is 18-6 with another three days off before the Rockets come to town.
Bucket-getting big men
Nikola Jokic slowly worked his way out to the perimeter early. He started by spinning around defenders for a pair of smooth buckets in the post. Then he tested his touch with a “Sombor Shuffle” fade-away, about 15 feet deep. Then he fired his first shot from the 3-point line, also pure.
He was incapable of missing. But soon enough, it became clear that Jokic wouldn’t need to extend his range too much to bludgeon Sacramento with his scoring. His only other 3-point attempt was a 2-for-1 possession at the end of the first half, when he was intentionally rushing a shot to ensure Denver would get another possession. (He made it.) The Nuggets found their superstar in the pocket, and he went for 36 points on 14 of 16 shooting, eventually tacking on 12 rebounds and eight of the team’s 35 assists.
The real magic trick of Denver’s performance was that it looked as if Jokic never left. His backup did a mighty impressive imitation, scoring 15 points without missing from the field. Against the team that traded him to Denver, Jonas Valanciunas showed off his silky touch on the sorts of interior jumpers and hook shots that are commonplace for Jokic.
Domantas Sabonis was out for the Kings, so the Nuggets’ centers compensated by treating Sacramento to a big man scoring clinic. They combined to make 21 of 23 shots for 38% of Denver’s points.
Pickett in rotation, Nnaji out
Sacramento was the site of a season-affirming performance from Jalen Pickett eight months ago. It was David Adelman’s first game as interim head coach, April 9, the day after Stan and Josh Kroenke had rolled the dice and fired Michael Malone and Calvin Booth in one fell swoop. The Nuggets were in danger of missing the playoffs with three games to go, but they came through amid the chaos with a 124-116 win.
Pickett was an unlikely hero with 18 efficient points and four assists.
Playing time has always been hard to come by for the reserve point guard. But he provided solid minutes in Sacramento again Thursday, filling out David Adelman’s nine-man rotation with six points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
It was a modest but steady showing, including one nice read in which he slowed down and turned his back to the basket in transition, waiting for Bruce Brown to catch up to the play. As he did, Pickett flicked a semi-no-look pass to him in stride for a layup.
The Nuggets were a plus-10 with Pickett on the floor. He has replaced power forward Zeke Nnaji as that ninth man in two consecutive games, winning his minutes both nights. Nnaji had occupied those minutes for several games since Aaron Gordon’s hamstring injury.
Pour one out for Russ
In his 18th season, Russell Westbrook is playing his heart out for an organization that probably doesn’t deserve that effort level. He certainly had some extra motivation when facing the Nuggets this season after they spurned him in free agency, but he also simply doesn’t know any other way to play.
He was Sacramento’s leading scorer in three of four head-to-head matchups against Denver over the last two months, capped off by a 17-point game Thursday. He’s still finding ways to be productive after he nearly faded into obsolescence last offseason. He’s still averaging more than seven rebounds and seven assists. He’s still increasing his efficiency as a 3-point shooter despite his eternal reputation as a player without range. It would be a shame if he finished this season in Sacramento instead of on a contending roster.