Slow Start; But Fast Finish

After nearly a week’s hiatus, the layoff obviously affected the Nuggets start but not their finish.

Denver was down by as many as 13 points in the first half, but it didn’t stop running and gunning Nuggets to defeat a tired Kings team, which were on a 4-game winning streak and coming off of an emotional win the night before.

• Denver had six different players score in double-figures; three coming off the bench.
• The Nuggets struggled at the free throw line, Nene missed his first four free throws and Danilo Gallinari also uncharacteristically missed a pair of free throws.
• Denver only shot 27 percent from behind the arc and also had 14 turnovers.
• Nene played poorly early on, missing his four free throws and making only one of five shots. But he was tough on the glass, gathering in 15 rebounds and had three steals and three blocks.
• Kenyon Martin played only seven minutes due to a case of the flu.
• Danilo Gallinari struggled shooting much of the night, but grabbed nine rebounds and had 17 points.
• Wilson Chandler also wasn’t sharp shooting, but his versatility on defense was again present. He blocked a shot by Samuel Dalembert, which led to a fast-break defense.
• Ty Lawson battled through early foul trouble, but found his way to the basket with ease and finished the game with 20 points.
• Chris Andersen was solid with a pair of blocks, five points and four rebounds.
• Al Harrington once again got a case of the sticky fingers. He shot the ball 19 times and made seven shots, but also had zero assists on the way to 15 points.
• JR Smith continues his hot streak and can’t miss his stepback jumper. He finished the game with 17 points on 8-11 shooting. Smith also was good off the ball on the defensive side of the ball and stole two balls by playing the passing lanes. On the ball, he got burned continuously.
• Raymond Felton once again set up his teammates for easy shots, assisting in seven shots. But it seems he is finally breaking out of his free throw shooting slump. He missed his free throw of the night, but made his next six. Felton, who is a career .787 free throw shooter, has made only 15-29 free throws in Denver.

NEXT UP: Back to Sacramento where the Nuggets haven’t won in their previous four trips.