‘I’m ready’: Harry Giles III returns to the court but Kings lose to Denver Nuggets
Backup big man Harry Giles III said he was prepared to play if given the opportunity to get back on the court for the first time in more than a month. When the time finally came, Giles was ready.
Giles was one of five Kings players who scored in double figures in a 120-115 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo.
Michael Porter Jr. and Will Barton scored 19 points apiece to led the Nuggets (23-9), who are second in the Western Conference behind the Los Angeles Lakers. Jerami Grant had 18 points. Nikola Jokic finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Nemanja Bjelica led all scorers with 27 points for the Kings (12-21), who have lost seven in a row. Buddy Hield had 20 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
De’Aaron Fox was sensational after missing a game due to back spasms, posting 18 points and 13 assists. Richaun Holmes added 18 points.
Giles finished with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists in 17 minutes.
Kings coach Luke Walton said before the game there was a chance Harry Giles III would play for the first time since Nov. 27. Giles got his chance when he checked in with 2:21 to play in the first quarter.
“I’m ready,” Giles said before the game. “Tonight, tomorrow, next week, next month, I’m always going to be ready. Every night I’m juiced to go in the game. You know me. That’s just how I play. I’m always going to be ready.”
Giles immediately impacted the game, scoring on his first touch, outworking Mason Plumlee for a rebound and then throwing a pretty pass to Cory Joseph for an open layup. Giles finished the first quarter and stayed in the game to start the second, helping the Kings outscore the Nuggets 12-4 to take a 40-33 lead. In his first eight-minute stint, Giles had four points, two rebounds, two assists and one big blocked shot on a dunk attempt by Torrey Craig.
Denver battled back after Giles left the game, staging an 11-3 run. The Nuggets led 62-57 at the halftime break and opened up a nine-point lead early in the third quarter, going up 66-57 on a basket by Will Barton. They stretched their lead to double digits when Monte Morris scored to put them up 94-83 early in the fourth.
The Kings trailed by as many as 14 before mounting a 10-0 run to get within four on a driving layup by Hield. They cut the deficit to three on a 3-pointer by Bjelica, but they couldn’t get any closer.
Fox Force
Fox returned to the lineup after missing most of Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns due to back spasms.
Coaches and trainers put Fox through extensive testing before the game. Walton said Fox would play if he felt good. Fox reported that he was ready to go.
“I felt fine,” Fox said about an hour before tipoff. “I’ve got my game shorts on, so I think I’m ready.”
Free-throw woes
Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic is an 80.5-percent career free-throw shooter, but he hasn’t been that good lately. Not even close.
Bogdanovic missed one of his two third-quarter free-throw attempts. He has made 10 of 18 (.555) free throws in 11 games in December, dropping his season average to 66.7 percent.
Missing Nuggets
The Nuggets were a bit shorthanded for this one. Gary Harris (left shin contusion), Paul Millsap (left knee contusion) and Bob Bol (injury management) all missed the game.
The Kings had to be somewhat relieved to see Harris on the inactive list. Harris scored 20 of his 25 points in the first quarter in a 100-97 overtime loss to the Kings on Nov. 30 at Golden 1 Center.
Injury report: Kings at Nuggets
Kings: OUT — Marvin Bagley III (foot).
Nuggets: OUT — Gary Harris (shin), Paul Millsap (knee), Bol Bol (foot).
Kings upcoming schedule
Dec. 31 vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 2 p.m.
Jan. 2 vs. Memphis, 7 p.m.
Jan. 4 vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Jan. 6 vs. Golden State, 7 p.m.
Jan. 7 at Phoenix, 6 p.m.
This story was originally published December 29, 2019 at 7:32 PM.
