The Denver Nuggets (18-6) stayed hot, leading by as much as 37 and cruising to an easy 136-105 victory against the Sacramento Kings (6-19) on December 12.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game:
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Nikola Jokic DEN C 36 PTS | 12 REB | 8 AST | 67.4 FPS
Jokic was nearly unstoppable on offense, finishing 14-for-16 from the field and posting his sixth 35-point performance of the season. He also added his 17th 10-rebound game for his 22nd double-double while also putting up at least 8 assists in eight-straight games.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Keegan Murray SAC PF 15 PTS | 2 STL | 2 BLK | 34.7 FPS
Murray finished with a 15-point performance for the second time in his last three outings. He also continues to make an impact on defense, averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.8 steals in 10 games this season.
SCORING MACHINES:
Malik Monk SAC SG 18 PTS | 4 REB | 5 AST | 28.3 FPS
Monk has knocked down 3 three-pointers eight times this season and has scored at least 15 points in 13 games. Still, it has been a challenging season for him, averaging just 12 points — his lowest mark in the last five years.
Cam Johnson DEN PF 16 PTS | 3 REB | 1 STL | 23.1 FPS
Johnson’s scoring has been up-and-down in recent games, posting at least 15 points thrice in his last six outings while managing 10 or fewer in the rest.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Russell Westbrook SAC PG 17 PTS | 3 REB | 5 AST | 26.1 FPS
Russ has been productive in scoring, averaging 16 points in four games this month, although he wasn’t as impactful in other areas today. Still, he’s averaging 6.7 rebounds and 7.2 assists this season.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Keon Ellis SAC SG 8 PTS | 4 STL | 1 BLK | 30.4 FPS
Ellis contributed a full stat-line but made a bigger impact on defense, posting 5 stocks for the second time this season. Last year, he achieved the feat 11 times.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Devin Carter SAC PG 15 PTS | 3-6 3PT | 4 AST | 20.2 FPS
Carter has gone 5-for-12 from deep in his last two games and has scored in double-figures in both.
THE X-FACTOR:
Jonas Valanciunas DEN C 15 PTS | 6 REB | 2 AST | 23.2 FPS
JV shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the field to record his 7th double-digit scoring performance of the season.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Maxime Raynaud SAC C 15 PTS | 9 REB | 1 STL | 29.3 FPS
Raynaud is averaging 16.2 points and 8.2 rebounds in his last four games.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Jamal Murray DEN PG 11 PTS | 9 AST | 2 STL
Murray had a brilliant playmaking performance, but he had an off night in scoring, registering 11 points or fewer for just the second time this season.
