Denver Nuggets vs. Kings: Keys
By Mathew Huff
The Denver Nuggets will have to execute a solid game plan in order to go 4-0.
The Denver Nuggets will welcome the Sacramento Kings to the Pepsi Center. After a big win over the defending champion, Golden State Warriors, Denver is going to have to play a lot more disciplined in order to go 4-0.
For starters, they cannot shoot 57.1% from the free throw line again. Sacramento is 1-2 so far this season, but have showed some improvements which could give the Denver Nuggets fits if they are not careful. For example, De’Aaron Fox is averaging 20.3 points per game to start off the season. The Kings are currently ranked 13th in the competitive Western Conference.
Therefore, on paper, the Nuggets should defeat this rebuilding Sacramento team. However, as every Nuggets fan knows, this is the type of game Denver has been known to drop. As a result, the first key will be to not overlook the Kings as they are still a legitimate NBA team.
More from Nugg Love
- Was trading Bones Hyland a mistake for the Denver Nuggets?
- Did Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets break Anthony Davis?
- Denver Nuggets stars face serious disrespect in recent NBA rankings poll
- What will it take for Denver Nuggets star to become ‘inevitable?’
- Denver Nuggets NBA Training Camp report, other preseason dates to know
The second key will be to get Jamal Murray going. He will be matched up with De’Aaron Fox and will need to have a solid game in order for the Nuggets to win. He cannot afford to have another game where he shoots 0-9 from the field and only scores a total of three points. To start the year, Murray is still averaging 12 points per game albeit on a putrid 25% shooting from three point territory and averaging a field goal percentage of 30.8%.
It will be up to the other players to free up Murray for open jump shots and even get him opportunities at the rim when he cuts. Luckily, Jokic will be able to help with this as the big man is averaging 7.3 assists per game in the first three games.
The Nuggets have a lot of momentum going into this game, but they cannot afford to get overconfident and overlook a projected lottery team.
Next. Top five ABA Nuggets of all time. dark
Otherwise, they will be falling into the same trap they fell into last year which was a big reason they missed the post season by only one game.