There was absolutely nothing easy about the Nuggets’ first win against Sacramento this season. They trailed by 17 in the third quarter Monday night. Chauncey Billups shot 6-for-25 from the field. And the game went to overtime. But the home team won, 112-109, thanks to a key play.
With 24.1 seconds left in overtime, Kenyon Martin won a jump-ball tip to Arron Afflalo, who dribbled toward the left corner and hit a pull-up, fadeaway 23-footer, which gave Denver a 111-109 lead. A Kevin Martin runner with 1.8 seconds left missed — with the Nuggets’ Martin defending — and Billups snatched the rebound and was fouled.
Billups hit one of the two free throws for the final margin.
The Kings were without super rookie Tyreke Evans (right ankle), and Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, again, didn’t play because of a sprained left ankle, his fifth consecutive game out of the lineup. The Nuggets remain optimistic he can return Wednesday against Phoenix.
“Fortunately, we haven’t lost ground,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “We definitely need him back. Sometimes there’s opportunity you gain and certain guys play and help your confidence, but we might be at a point that we’re squeezing that a little too much.”
The Nuggets lost their first two games this season to the Kings, both in Sacramento, both disheartening losses to the sub-.500 team. In the first loss, on Dec. 28, Anthony injured his knee, and in the second loss, on Jan. 9, the Melo-less Nuggets lost on a last-second Kings basket by Evans.
Monday’s first boos sprouted with 4:43 in the second quarter, and by halftime, the Nuggets trailed 64-50. But the repeat disappointment didn’t happen.
