In a back-and-forth game that went into overtime, the Kings came up with a big defensive stop and buzzer-beater to shock the Nuggets on opening night.
With just over six seconds left in overtime in a tie game, it seemed like the Kings' best-case scenario was to force a second extra period.
The Nuggets inbounded the ball to Nikola Jokic above the 3-point line. Jokic had the ball poked away by Harrison Barnes, which started a fast-break and a race against the clock. Barnes tried to put Sacramento ahead with a dunk but missed, but Buddy Hield was there for a tip-in follow-up at the buzzer as the Kings pulled out a wild season-opening win.
That Sacramento was even in a tie game heading into the final possession was a minor miracle. The Nuggets led, 122-120, with the ball and 11 seconds left in the game when Will Barton had a clean look at a layup. But his attempt was blocked from behind by a hustling De'Aaron Fox, leading to a fast-break going the other way to tie the game.
The game was back-and-forth the whole night, with several lead changes down the stretch. Seven Kings players scored in double figures, led by Hield, who had 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting and 5-for-11 on 3-point attempts. Barnes finished the game with 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals.
It was a monster 2020-21 debut for Jokic, who recorded his 42nd career triple-double. He finished with 29 points on 11-for-18 shooting, with 15 rebounds, 14 assists and three blocks. Michael Porter Jr. was second on the team with 24 points and had five rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks.