Kings vs. Nuggets Preview: No Time for Jokes

Riding high off of beating the worst-ranked team in the West by 2 points, the Sacramento Kings are back home tonight, and, ever allergic to conventional thought, will attempt to extend their win streak to four games against the Denver Nuggets. Wait. Will. Conventional thought as in “the better team usually wins” or “Teams play better at home”? Does bucking conventions in this case mean beating a team a couple years removed from a championship or coming out flat at home after finally clawing their way back to .500??

I literally cannot tell you, because I myself no longer know.

Just plan for something in your head, and then as soon as its set in your mind, know it ain’t happening!

Let’s talk Kings basketball.

When: Monday, December 16th, 7:00 PM PST
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBCSCA
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM

For Your Consideration

Home Malone: I had half a mind to bless my editor and hostage, Greg, with one of those classic misdirection previews, where I set up something big and then drop a smooth 45 words before heading out for the morning, but the man is so patient with me, he deserves to see that I sacrificed some elbow grease for him today. Legitimately, the Kings at this point in their season haven’t stabilized, aren’t trustworthy to do anything on a night to night basis, and while on an entertaining streak of late, are a more frustrating viewing experience than fun. Case and point: The Kings had a far better record, had far healthier players, confidence levels climbing after winning three of four and yet, still found a way to nearly blow a game against a Pelicans squad that’s missing a major chunk of their roster (and no, that isn’t a Zion diss). What’s worse is: it wasn’t a surprise to those who pay attention to how this team has performed through 25 games. I spent the whole preview for the game trying to warn an audience of people who already knew: the Kings just aren’t a team that can be trusted. Lo’ and behold: a near disastrous end to a game that, to casuals, on paper, should have been an easy night. A win is a win, and I’ll take four w’s in five tries, but watching the Kings right now is like watching those nature documentary clips with a hobbled zebra sprinting through gator-filled river water. I feel like I’ve seen this one before, still I’m stressed because I’m not sure if it ends with the one I’m rooting for bewildered about which misstep led to him being disemboweled and me screaming about the obvious, yet ignored, paths to safety.

Okay, onto a little less Nation Geographic discussion, tonight’s game is going to be the first real test in 11 days for our little zebra on the never ending shoreline of snapping doom as the Kings take on a Nuggets team that, like the Kings, slipped a bit in the standings and is on their way back to finding their footing. After a stretch of losing three out of four games, including one to the Washington Wizards, the Nuggets have locked the hell in for their last two games, beating the Atlanta Hawks by 30, then rocking the Clippers by 22. They might be hamstrung with a less-than-stellar GM and a cheaper-than-they-should-be owner right now, but this is still the Nuggets. I’d never bet against Mike Malone, coach with enough piss and vinegar in his blood to render a world’s worth of jellyfish stings inert, or Nikola Jokic, a man who manipulates all known laws of strategic interactions using the power of not-giving-a-fuck and his endless drive to ensure his horses’ families are taken care of long after he’s gone. It could be Jokic and fifteen clones of Martin Nessley coached by Mike Malone and I’d still have confidence they could make the play-in. Jokic is that good, Malone that determined.

So some water cooler stats for you here: Nuggets shoot the least amount of threes per game in the whole wide NBA, great. They’re making them at a clip of 38.1% per game, eighth in the NBA, and that tingle down your spin is proof that you already know what the deciding fact is going to be in this game. They’re first in the NBA is attempts inside the arc, 11th in percentage, first in free throw attempts, but 27th in percentage and they’re 1st in the NBA in assists. Mike Brown recently spoke of finally having the time to tweak defensively, especially how the team is closing out on shooters and with the ball zipping around all night tonight, we’re going to see how much Brown and Luke Loucks have adjusted, and how much has actually stuck. Despite Jokic being the centerpiece, the Nuggets are 5th in pace, 11 spots higher than the Kings who mentioned they wanted to be in the Top 5 in pace during training camp. Nothing really to say, just nooooticing.

The Kings are too topsy turvy and the West too talented for me to have to warn about how dangerous each opponent is. Jamal Murray is having a down year, he can still kill the Kings. Michael Porter Jr. can go berserk if Sacramento isn’t guarding the long ball. Aaron Gordon is a guy the Kings just don’t have a person to match-up well with for 35 minutes. Christian Braun, if he plays tonight is a 40% shooter from range and a potential “this dude is KILLING US TONIGHT” guy. The Nuggets supporting cast is very good. Their MVP is unbelievable. Their coach is in the top third in the league and will hold a grudge against Sacramento for as long as their is breath in his lungs.

Kings are the underdog tonight. Hope they realize it and play like it.

Prediction

30-30-15 games for Jokic and Sabonis each. Julian Strawther keeps it close for the Nugs with an unexpected huge game, Russell Westbrook keeps it close for Sacramento off the bench. Fox and Deebo come into the fourth and picks their defense apart.

Kings:127, Nuggets:121