Kings interim head coach Doug Christie speaks with the media following Sacramento's 132-123 loss to the Denver Nuggets Thursday at Ball Arena.Christie proud of Kings' ‘resilient' comeback effort despi

The Kings almost came back from a 25-point deficit on the second night of a back-to-back, but Nikola Jokic was too much to overcome.

It’s the fight that matters – even in a loss. Despite trailing by 22 points at halftime, the Kings showed resilience down the stretch before falling to the Denver Nuggets 132-123 on Thursday night at Ball Arena.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone was the first to point out earlier this month that Russell Westbrook seems to play “a little bit harder” against the Clippers, the veteran point guard’s most recent team before signing with Denver last offseason.

The matchup at Ball Arena tonight featured a pairing of red hot teams in the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings. For three quarters the Nuggets looked absolutely dominant and built up a huge lead behind a massive Nikola Jokic triple double.

Get real-time NBA basketball coverage and scores as Sacramento Kings takes on Denver Nuggets. We bring you the latest game previews, live stats, and recaps on CBSSports.com

Jokic, a three-time MVP, made a three-quarter court shot at the third-quarter buzzer to put the Nuggets up by 25 points. The Kings staged a big fourth-quarter comeback to get within five, but Jokic made four free throws in the final minute to secure the victory for Denver.

The Sacramento Kings (23-20) are visiting the Denver Nuggets (27-16) on Thursday night; find out how to watch the free live stream here.

Doug Christie has transformed the Sacramento Kings from one of the league's biggest disappointments into the hottest team in the NBA

Prediction for the NBA match which will take place on January 24. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 22 rebounds and a season-high 17 assists for his fifth straight triple-double, and the host Denver Nuggets held on to beat the Sacramento Kings 132-123 on Thursday night.

Sacramento is 10-2 since Doug Christie took over as interim coach, including three straight wins heading into Thursday's game. One of the Kings' last losses before the coaching change came at home against the Nuggets on Dec. 16. Denver rallied from 10 points down in the final four minutes to pull out a 130-129 win.