The Sacramento Kings vs Denver Nuggets Match Player Stats tell the story of a game Denver controlled after the opening minutes. The Nuggets beat the Kings 136-105 at Golden 1 Center on December 11, 2025, turning a close start into a 31-point final margin.

Nikola Jokic drove Denver’s offense with 36 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in only 29 minutes. Peyton Watson added 21 points, while Malik Monk led Sacramento with 18 off the bench. Denver shot 59.1 percent from the field and finished its four-game road trip without a loss.

Match Overview

Denver entered the night at 17-6 and Sacramento at 6-18. The result moved the Nuggets to 18-6 and dropped the Kings to 6-19.

The game was the fourth and final regular-season meeting between the teams in 2025-26. Denver finished the season series 3-1.

Pre-Match Context

Denver arrived in Sacramento with three straight victories and a 10-game road winning streak. The Nuggets also held a 2-1 advantage over the Kings through the first three head-to-head games of the season.

Jokic had already caused Sacramento major problems. Before the fourth meeting, he was averaging 37.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists against the Kings that season.

Both teams were missing important rotation pieces. Denver did not have Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun or Julian Strawther. Sacramento entered without Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and Dennis Schroder. Those absences changed both starting groups and reduced Sacramento’s available scoring and frontcourt depth.

Quarter by Quarter Score

Denver won every quarter. The largest early separation came in the opening period, when the Nuggets built a 15-point lead.

Quarter by Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter: Denver Creates Early Separation

Sacramento stayed level through the early minutes before Denver created the first major gap. The Nuggets produced a 24-6 run and finished the quarter ahead 41-26.

Jokic scored 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the period. Denver as a team made 14 of 22 field-goal attempts and five of nine three-pointers. Sacramento shot 47.6 percent overall but made only two of 10 attempts from outside.

The difference also appeared around the basket. Denver scored 14 first-quarter points in the paint and added eight second-chance points, while Sacramento had no second-chance scoring in the period.

Second Quarter: Nuggets Reach 77 Before Halftime

Sacramento scored 28 points in the second, but Denver remained more productive possession by possession. The Nuggets made 13 of 20 shots during the quarter and recorded 10 assists on those 13 field goals.

Russell Westbrook scored 11 second-quarter points for Sacramento, including six free throws. Denver still extended its advantage because scoring came from several parts of the rotation.

Jokic’s three-pointer with 32 seconds left gave Denver a 77-54 halftime lead, its largest advantage of the first half. Jokic had 23 points by the break, while Jamal Murray already had seven assists.

Third Quarter: Jokic Leads a 10-0 Start

Any chance of Sacramento cutting into the deficit disappeared quickly after halftime. Denver began the third quarter with a 10-0 run, and Jokic scored eight of those points.

He finished the period with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Peyton Watson added eight points as Denver scored another 32 in the quarter.

Sacramento shot 52.2 percent in the third but still lost the period 32-27. Denver’s ball movement and interior scoring kept the margin growing, and the Nuggets entered the fourth ahead 109-81.

Fourth Quarter: Denver Closes It Out

Jokic, Watson and Jamal Murray did not play in the fourth quarter. Denver no longer needed its main group with the game separated by nearly 30 points.

Jonas Valanciunas scored eight points in the period, making all four of his shots. Hunter Tyson also scored eight, including two three-pointers.

Sacramento used Maxime Raynaud, Nique Clifford, Keon Ellis, Malik Monk and Devin Carter throughout the fourth. Denver still won the quarter 27-24 and pushed its largest lead to 37 before closing out the 136-105 result.

Team Stats Comparison

Denver’s shooting percentage created the clearest statistical gap. The Nuggets also recorded 14 more assists and scored 20 more points in the paint.

Key Numbers That Decided the Game

Denver’s 59.1 percent shooting mattered because the Nuggets produced efficient attempts throughout the game rather than relying only on three-point shooting. They made 40 two-point field goals and finished with 66 paint points.

The assist difference was just as important. Denver registered 35 assists on 52 made baskets. Sacramento recorded 21 assists on 39 makes. That gap reflected how often Denver generated shots after moving the defense.

Sacramento also took nine more three-point attempts than Denver but made one fewer. The Kings finished 11-of-38 from deep, while Denver went 12-of-29. That gave Denver more production with fewer perimeter attempts.

Denver Nuggets Full Box Score

Denver used 11 players, and every one of them scored. Jokic led the offense, Watson provided the second-highest scoring total, and Murray finished with a team-high nine assists.

Denver’s efficiency was not limited to Jokic. Valanciunas made all seven of his field-goal attempts, while Watson went 7-of-10.

Denver also finished with nine steals and only 12 turnovers.

Sacramento Kings Full Box Score

Sacramento had five double-digit scorers. Monk led the team with 18 points, Westbrook added 17, and Keegan Murray, Raynaud and Devin Carter each scored 15.

Sacramento made 39 of 87 attempts overall but went below 30 percent from three-point range.

The Kings forced nine Denver turnovers through steals but committed 16 turnovers themselves.

Top Performers

Nikola Jokic

Jokic produced nearly all of his damage in three quarters. He scored 16 in the first, reached 23 by halftime and added 13 more in the third. His eight assists helped Denver keep scoring through cutters, perimeter actions and interior finishes. 

He missed only two shots from the field and made both three-point attempts. Denver led by 28 after three quarters, so Jokic did not need to return for the fourth. His scoring efficiency and passing allowed the Nuggets to create separation without extending his playing time.

Peyton Watson

Watson supplied Denver’s second-highest scoring total and did it in fewer than 23 minutes. He made seven of 10 shots, including two of three three-pointers, and converted five free throws. Seven of his points came during Denver’s 41-point opening quarter, helping the Nuggets build the first double-digit gap. 

He added eight more in the third as Denver pushed the game farther out of Sacramento’s reach. With Gordon and Braun unavailable, Watson’s scoring helped replace production missing from Denver’s regular rotation.

Jonas Valanciunas

Valanciunas gave Denver scoring behind Jokic without losing efficiency at center. He made all seven of his field-goal attempts in 18:57 and finished with six rebounds. Seven of his points came during the second quarter, when Denver increased its halftime advantage. 

He then played the entire fourth and scored eight more as Jokic stayed on the bench. That production allowed Denver to maintain its lead while resting the starting center and several other starters. His minutes also contributed to Denver’s 50-point bench total.

Malik Monk

Monk finished as Sacramento’s leading scorer despite coming off the bench. Nine of his points arrived in the first quarter, when he made both of his field-goal attempts and all four free throws. His scoring slowed in the middle periods before he added six points in the fourth. 

Monk also recorded five assists and four rebounds, giving Sacramento another ball handler while Schroder was unavailable. His five turnovers, however, were the highest total on the Kings and contributed to Sacramento’s 16 team giveaways.

Russell Westbrook

Westbrook scored all 17 of his points before halftime. He had six in the first quarter and 11 in the second, going 6-for-6 at the free-throw line during that period. He also recorded five assists for the game and committed two turnovers. 

Sacramento needed that early production after Denver created separation, but Westbrook went scoreless after halftime and played only 6:44 of the third quarter before sitting for the fourth. His first-half scoring helped Sacramento reach 54 points before the break.

Starting Lineups

Denver used Spencer Jones and Watson alongside its regular Jokic-Murray core, while Sacramento started rookie Maxime Raynaud at center.

Injury Report

Several established players were inactive because of injuries. Gordon was missing his ninth straight game, while Braun missed his 13th consecutive contest.

Sacramento’s absences were concentrated among major offensive pieces. Sabonis, LaVine and Schroder were all unavailable, leaving more minutes and shot-creation duties for Westbrook, Monk, DeRozan and the younger players.

Season Series and Head-to-Head

The teams met four times during the 2025-26 regular-season series. Denver won the first two, Sacramento responded in Denver on November 22, and the Nuggets closed the series with the December 11 victory.

Denver had extended its winning run over Sacramento to six games with the November 3 victory, a streak dating back to the 2023-24 season. Sacramento ended that run on November 22 before Denver won the final meeting.

Western Conference Standings After the Game

Denver remained near the top of the Western Conference after improving to 18-6. Sacramento’s 6-19 record kept the Kings near the bottom of the conference table.

Broadcast Information

The game tipped at 10:00 p.m. ET, which was 7:00 p.m. local time in Sacramento. NBA League Pass carried the matchup, while regional television coverage was available through NBC Sports California and Altitude.

Conclusion

Denver left Sacramento having completed the season series with three wins from four meetings and strengthened its position near the top of the Western Conference. The Nuggets maintained their offensive production despite missing several rotation players, with Watson and the second unit taking on larger roles around Jokic and Murray.

For Sacramento, the game came during a stretch shaped heavily by injuries and changing rotations. The Kings next traveled to Minnesota for a December 14 meeting with the Timberwolves, while Denver returned home to face Houston on December 15. Those games shifted the focus away from the completed Kings-Nuggets season series and back toward each team’s wider Western Conference schedule.

For more match updates, read: Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks Match Player Stats

FAQ

What was the final score of Kings vs Nuggets?

The Denver Nuggets beat the Sacramento Kings 136-105 on December 11, 2025, at Golden 1 Center, improving Denver’s season record to 18-6.

Who scored the most points in Kings vs Nuggets?

Nikola Jokic led all players with 36 points. He made 14 of 16 field-goal attempts and added 12 rebounds and eight assists.

What were Nikola Jokic’s complete stats against Sacramento?

Jokic finished with 36 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 29:03 while shooting 14-of-16 from the field.

Did Nikola Jokic play in the fourth quarter?

No. Jokic played the first three quarters only because Denver entered the fourth ahead 109-81 and used its bench to finish the game.

Who led the Sacramento Kings in scoring?

Malik Monk led Sacramento with 18 points off the bench. Russell Westbrook followed with 17, while Keegan Murray, Maxime Raynaud and Devin Carter scored 15 each.

What were the key Sacramento Kings vs Denver Nuggets Match Player Stats?

Denver shot 59.1 percent, had 35 assists and scored 66 paint points. Jokic led Denver with 36 points, while Monk paced Sacramento with 18.

Who missed the Kings-Nuggets game because of injury?

Denver was without Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Julian Strawther. Sacramento’s injury absences included Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and Dennis Schroder.