Kings rally behind Harrison to edge Nuggets in OT


Reuters | Sacramento | Updated: 01-12-2019 06:39 IST | Created: 01-12-2019 06:38 IST
Kings rally behind Harrison to edge Nuggets in OT
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Harrison Barnes scored four of his game-high 30 points in succession to put Sacramento in front in overtime and Buddy Hield hit two late free throws to help the host Kings, after a furious fourth-quarter rally, earn a 100-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday afternoon. Denver, which led by 14 points with 7:21 remaining in regulation, took one final lead on a 3-pointer by Gary Harris in the second minute of the extra session.

But the Nuggets, losing for the first time after six straight victories, didn't score again until Harris dropped in two free throws with 14.9 seconds remaining following two free throws and a short-range hoop by Barnes that helped put the Kings on top. Hield's clinching foul shots came with 9.5 seconds left.

After blowing their 14-point lead, the Nuggets had the final shot of regulation after Hield drew the Kings even with a driving layup with 22.9 seconds left. But Richaun Holmes blocked a Jamal Murray jumper, sending the game into overtime tied at 90-all.

The Kings trailed 87-73 with 7:21 to go before holding Denver without a point for the next 5:04, during which Barnes had two buckets and Bogdan Bogdanovic a 3-pointer to highlight a 9-0 run that narrowed the gap to 87-82. Murray ended the Nuggets' drought with a 10-footer for a seven-point lead with 2:17 to go, but again Denver went silent, committing a turnover and missing a 3-pointer, giving the Kings a chance to cut into the lead.

And that they did when Hield hit a pair of 3-pointers, the latter making it an 89-88 game with 50.7 seconds to go. Nikola Jokic doubled the margin when he made the second of two free throws with 34.8 seconds left, but Hield's basket 12 seconds later forced overtime.

The Nuggets led by as many as 17 points in the first half, including 57-40 at the break. Hield finished with 21 points to back Barnes for the Kings, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

Holmes (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Nemanja Bjelica (10 points, 12 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for Sacramento, while Bogdanovic added 10 points. Harris totaled a team-high 25 points while Will Barton recorded a double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds) for the Nuggets, who won at Sacramento earlier in the season.

Murray added 15 points, Jerami Grant 12 and Malik Beasley 11 for Denver. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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