The Denver Nuggets (4-2) returned to the winning column after taking care of the Sacramento Kings (2-5) with a 130-124 victory on November 4.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game:
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Nikola Jokic DEN C 34 PTS | 7 REB | 14 AST | 80.4 FPS
Jokic finished with a season low in rebounds, but he made up for it with his best scoring performance. Last season, he scored 30 or more points 30 times. He also continued to be a double-double force, recording the feat in every game so far, and also excelled on defense, recording a season high in steals.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Russell Westbrook SAC PG 26 PTS | 12 REB | 6 AST | 49.4 FPS
Russ is on an impressive run, finishing with his fifth consecutive double-digit scoring performance and a season-high in points. He also posted his second straight double-double, recording a season-high in rebounds to go along with his third straight game with at least 2 steals.
SCORING MACHINES:
Christian Braun DEN SG 21 PTS | 7-10 FG | 6-9 FT | 30.3 FPS
Braun finished with his best scoring game of the season against the Kings and also recorded 20 points for the second time. Last season, he reached that mark 18 times.
DeMar DeRozan SAC SF 19 PTS | 8-17 FG | 3-4 FT | 25.6 FPS
DeRozan is on a scoring surge, putting up 29 points twice and scoring at least 19 points for the fourth time this season. However, his three-point shooting and free throws could be better. He also had a lackluster effort today in other areas after averaging 4 rebounds, nearly 5 assists, and 1.2 steals in his first few games.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Domantas Sabonis SAC C 13 PTS | 17 REB | 5 AST | 41.9 FPS
Sabonis shot 50% or better from the field for the fifth time this season while also posting his third-straight game with 5 assists. But his biggest impact continues to be in rebounding as he’s averaging 14 boards per game this season.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Jonas Valanciunas DEN C 3 REB | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 20.6 FPS
JV has been a solid scorer and rebounder off the bench, but he made his mark on defense, leading all players in blocks.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Aaron Gordon DEN PF 20 PTS | 6-11 FG | 3-6 3PT | 31.9 FPS
Gordon slowed down on offense after pouring in 50 points in an incredible 10-for-11 shooting from three against the Warriors. But he redeemed himself vs the Kings, hitting 50% from deep after going 2-for-14 in his previous four outings.
THE X-FACTOR:
Bruce Brown DEN PG 13 PTS | 6 REB | 3 AST | 23.7 FPS
Brown came up big from the bench, posting his best scoring and rebounding performance over his first six games.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Dennis Schroder SAC PG 18 PTS | 4 REB | 9 AST | 37.3 FPS
Schroder continues to thrive with his new team, hitting 12-of-19 from two-point range and going a perfect 9-for-9 at the foul line over his last two games. He’s also scored at least 17 points four times and recorded at least 7 assists in five games this season.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Zach LaVine SAC SG 15 PTS | 4-11 FG | 3 TO
LaVine has been on fire this season, posting 30+ points five times while shooting 53% from the field and 94.3% from the line over his first six games. But he struggled against the Nuggets, finishing with his lowest scoring game and most turnovers so far this season.
