Buzzer Beater: Kings storm back from big deficits to stun Denver Nuggets in overtime

Harrison Barnes stayed steady and Buddy Hield got hot, helping the Kings storm back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 100-97 in overtime Saturday at Golden 1 Center.

Barnes scored a season-high 30 points for the Kings (8-10), who debuted their red City Edition uniforms in front of a raucous matinee crowd. Hield finished with 21 points and seven rebounds after being held to two points in the first half.

Gary Harris scored 23 points to lead the Nuggets (13-4), who had won six in a row.

Harris went off for 18 points in the first quarter, surpassing his previous season high of 17 points in a 101-94 victory over the Kings on Oct. 28. Harris made 6 of 8 from the field and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc in the opening period, outscoring the Kings 18-11 over the first 9:17.

Denver went up by 15 on a 3-pointer by Harris later in the first quarter and carried a 57-40 lead into the locker room at the halftime break. The Nuggets shot 51.2 percent from the field and made 9 of 16 from 3-point range in the first half. The Kings shot just 32.6 percent and made 2 of 13 from beyond the arc in the first half.

Sacramento gradually cut into Denver’s lead in the second half. The Kings got within 10 on Hield’s first 3-pointer of the game with 9:13 to play in the third quarter. They cut the deficit to six on a three-point play by Barnes and got within three on a resounding putback dunk by Richaun Holmes with 3:28 to go in the third.

The Nuggets reestablished a double-digit lead early in the fourth. They were up by 14 with 7:59 remaining, but the Kings staged a 19-5 run to tie the game on a layup by Hield with 22.9 seconds left. Cory Joseph locked up Jamal Murray on the final possession of regulation and Holmes came over to block Murray’s shot from behind as time expired.

The Kings took their first lead of the game when Barnes scored to start the overtime session.

More minutes for Justin James

Rookie guard Justin James logged extended minutes for the first time this season during the team’s recent four-game road trip.

James flashed his potential in the first game of the trip, posting 14 points, three rebounds and three assists against the Brooklyn Nets on a night when Bogdan Bogdanovic did not play due to hamstring tightness. During the road trip, James made 11 of 23 (.478) field-goal attempts and 3 of 7 (.428) from 3-point range, looking confident and comfortable at both ends of the floor.

“His composure for a rookie — for me to throw him out there and (for him to) do the things he’s done — has been quite impressive,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “… When you’re a rookie and you’re not in the top 10 in the rotation, you’re very limited in your opportunities, but he’s made an impression on his coaches and teammates. Whenever he gets opportunities, he’s been ready and he starts to earn that trust from teammates and coaches, and you get more opportunities in games.”

James played 26 minutes against the Nuggets, finishing with six points, seven rebounds and two assists.

Containing Nikola Jokic

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is one of the most unique big men in the game, a 7-foot-tall, 284-pound center capable of orchestrating an offense like a point guard with precision passes and remarkable vision.

Jokic went into the game averaging 16.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game, but the Kings have done a nice job of defending him in two meetings this season. Jokic had nine points, 13 rebounds and two assists in a 101-94 victory over the Kings on Oct. 28. On Saturday, he finished with seven points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

“We have to have ball pressure on him, which we did a good job of last time we played them,” Walton said before the game. “When you sit back and let him pick a defense apart, he’s just too good. They’ve got too much talent, too much shooting. … We’ve just got to make life hard on him.”

Injury report

Nuggets: OUT — Bol Bol (foot).

Kings: OUT — Marvin Bagley III (thumb), De’Aaron Fox (ankle), Trevor Ariza (personal).

Kings upcoming schedule

Dec. 2 vs. Chicago Bulls, 7 p.m.

Dec. 4 at Portland Trail Blazers, 7 p.m.

Dec. 6 at San Antonio Spurs, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 8 at Dallas Mavericks, 4 p.m.

Dec. 9 at Houston Rockets, 5 p.m.

This story was originally published November 30, 2019 at 4:40 PM.