Nikola Jokic makes full-court heave in Nuggets’ win over Kings: “I knew it was going in”

Not even the most miraculous shot of his life was enough to earn Nikola Jokic the fourth quarter off this time.

Jokic buried a one-handed, full-court heave at the third-quarter buzzer to give the Nuggets a 25-point lead that almost disappeared Thursday night in a 132-123 win over the visiting Sacramento Kings.

“It’s not really a high-percentage shot,” Jokic said. “But I took it to make it.”

“Jokic has come close a couple times this year, so when it left his hands, I thought, ‘That has a chance.’ And then, boom,” teammate Russell Westbrook said. “The best part of it was no reaction from him, which I love.”

Indeed, Jokic strolled to the huddle expressionless after Aaron Gordon embraced him and Ball Arena erupted.

“Thanks for giving me an assist,” said Gordon, who inbounded the ball to Jokic under Denver’s own basket. It was Gordon’s only assist of the night.

“I don’t know why I didn’t react a little bit better, like CB (Christian Braun). Whenever he dunks, he likes to flex,” Jokic said. “Or DJ (DeAndre Jordan). Whatever he does — wave to the crowd. Talk to the referee. Talk to the other coach. He always does something.”

Winners of 10 in their last 11 coming into Denver, the Kings promptly responded with a 14-0 run to start the fourth quarter, forcing Jokic to return to a game that he had seemed fated to finish on the bench yet again. That’s been the trend lately, with the red-hot Nuggets comfortably beating their last three opponents.

But Sacramento’s run forced Malone to return to his safety blanket, who helped to slow down but not completely halt the comeback. The Kings got the deficit down to six with two minutes remaining before a baby hook from Jokic steadied the ship.

“Not every win is gonna be where you don’t have to put Nikola back in the fourth quarter,” Malone said. “We had to tonight. … They made it a game, and our guys responded well enough to get the win.”

In the end, it took 35 points, 22 rebounds, 17 assists and two blocks from the reigning MVP for Denver (28-16) to hold on. Jokic made 12 of 19 shots from the field in his 20th triple-double of the season. He has registered a triple-double by the end of the third quarter in five consecutive games.

“I think this is the best basketball of my life, that I have ever played. I’m feeling good out there,” Jokic said. “I’m in shape. The ball is going in. I’m feeling good. I think I can influence the game on different levels.”

Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 23 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists. Doug McDermott got hot off the bench in the fourth, leading the comeback effort with five 3s.

The Nuggets have won eight of their last nine as they prepare to embark on a five-game road trip, their longest of the season, that starts Saturday at Minnesota.

First, they had to weather several storms from Sacramento, even before the final frame. The third quarter ended with a 9-3 Denver run in the last 35 seconds, bolstering a lead that had started to slip. Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson both knocked down 3s. Then De’Aaron Fox hit one with 1.7 seconds left — leaving too much time for Jokic.

“I didn’t even see the shot. I was pissed off at the defensive play before,” Malone said. “I didn’t even see it. I just heard the crowd go crazy, and I didn’t really give a (crap) because I was just mad about our defense. So I’ll have to go back and watch it. Sounds like a three-quarters court shot?”

The NBA clocked it at 66 feet, officially, but Jokic released the shot from behind Denver’s own free-throw line, which is about 70 feet from the opposite basket on a straight line. He was also off to the side, standing near the 3-point arc on the wing.

Jokic said he “knew it was going in.”

“It was straight to the basket,” he elaborated. “I said, ‘This is going in probably.’ It had a really good line.”

“Nikola, the touch that he has, that’s what it comes down to,” coach Michael Malone said. “To make that shot — even just to hit the rim — how many guys could even hit the rim on that shot?”