[Game] 44/82: Kings at Nuggets 23 JAN 2025, 6pm PT/9pm ET

[QWERTYLICIOUS]

This one's gonna be tough. Let's just get that out of the way right now, because there's no other way to look at it, and we all know this one has the potential to get really ugly for us.

But...

We're coming off of a huge win on national TV. Against the Dubbies.

We can win this game.

Let's do it!!!

And, as always, and ESPECIALLY for our dear friend, the SLABster...

LIGHT.
THAT.
MUTHA.
EFFING.
BEAN.

JUST.
MUTHA.
EFFING.
LIGHT.
THAT.
ISH.

 

[Remi]

Somehow I am positive about this game. Despite back to back, despite long travel.
Maybe I got spoiled with DC Kings, but I think we can win (and I will guess at 8 points margin)

 

[HndsmCelt]

Go Kings!

 

[Caccia]

Last night, the Kings shot 36.7% from distance. If they can match or improve on that against Denver, they have a chance. Another good thing: they only had seven turnovers. Hold onto the ball and stay in the game.

I guess my biggest concern is coming out flat in the Mile-High City.

 

[megapoxy]

The Nuggets are the 2nd best team in the West in 2025 having 2 defeats that were both at Denver but both they were without Jokic.
Things have been going well for them with Westbrook on the lineup, having 3 guys as "creators", moving the ball a lot trying to find the open teammate. Best team in the league in field goal percentage, one of the best in 3 pointers despite shooting the least ones.

Murray, Westbrook, Jokic, Braun and MPJ is the expected lineup, Gordon is their 6th man lately (entering early in Q1) that has always caused us trouble and then they got Watson and Strawther coming for limited minutes. Their main weakness by far is the non-Jokic minutes with DeAndre Jordan taking his spot. Perhaps we will see Len going against him once more.

Jokic comes from 4 consecutive triple doubles with all of them from the 3rd quarter. The Nuggets have 11-3 recent records with all wins coming with double digits (even the one in overtime at San Antonio). They had a very unusual record at one point, 8-0 when playing on the second game of a backtoback themselves, but they lost the 9th time (without Jokic though).

Is Mike Malone planning to talk about Mike Brown in the pregame once again like Spo, Kerr and the others did in the past?

Perhaps the most painful defeat in the season was against them in G1C with DDR losing the ball at the end after Kings making a huge comeback, but both teams scoring non stop in the final minutes.

In theory with B2B and traveling and regarding how many minutes the starters played yesterday and the effort in the 2nd half it will be extra hard to perform at the same level tonight for the Kings, but this team doesn't cease to amaze us recently so who knows?

 

[NewArena]

People forget we didn’t have Keegan Murray in that last matchup at home. I was in the building for that heartbreaker and we’ll certainly need Keegan for Aaron Gordon and lots of Keon minutes IMO. I don’t expect a win, but i choose to not expect a loss either. This team is capable, even when things appear to be quite daunting.

 

[chief bromden]

People forget we didn’t have Keegan Murray in that last matchup at home. I was in the building for that heartbreaker and we’ll certainly need Keegan for Aaron Gordon and lots of Keon minutes IMO. I don’t expect a win, but i choose to not expect a loss either. This team is capable, even when things appear to be quite daunting.

Ah yes, you've brought back my memories of DeRozan trying to muscle up against Gordon in the paint and just having no chance. That feels like a long time ago at this point

 

[kingsfan_4Life]

Last night, the Kings shot 36.7% from distance. If they can match or improve on that against Denver, they have a chance. Another good thing: they only had seven turnovers. Hold onto the ball and stay in the game.

I guess my biggest concern is coming out flat in the Mile-High City.

good point about the mile high. So you have a team that is probably gassed from last night. Per Carmichael Dave's note, based upon the plane arrival time, they wouldn't get to sleep until like 4:00 am this morning. It's back to back. It's against a really good Denver team and you are playing in thin error. But Let's just hope that Denver has a really off night. It can happen.

Dave also made a great point about the road trip saying that if you were to say that you would be 3-3 after this brutal upcoming road trip, most kings fans would gladly take it. I know I would!

 

[QWERTYLICIOUS]

Go Kings!

Sometimes, I wish I had the ability to keep things as simple and sweet as this.
But, when it comes to sports, I tend to do slightly more than just a "Go Team".
Especially if I know fans of the opposing team (as was the case last night).

 

[gunks]

The realist in me says all signs point to "schedule loss" with this being the second night of a back to back in Denver after the starters played heavy minutes, against one of the West's elite teams.

But recent events have brought out the Homer in me!

Let's get that BEAM/BEAN!!!

 

[QWERTYLICIOUS]

Let's get that BEAM/BEAN!!!

If you ask me, and our good ol' pal, @SLAB, aka THE SLABster, there's ONLY one reasonably sound option here...

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Hope Doug has something special cooking for Malone to pour his salt on.

 

[SacTownKid]

The one thing that bodes well are some of those pick and roll stats. Make Jokic play defense and the Kings have a shot. This is a good night for big scoring games from Fox and Monk.

 

[GWD]

My crystal ball is seeing a break-out game for Keegan in Denver. He has had time to deprogram the weight of what he went through in the past and will recover to become the Keegan, on offense, that the team needs to see.

Plus, playing in Denver's thin air will make Keegan's shot travel just farther enough to make those front rim misses become net wigglers. (Well, that may be a stretch.)

Huerter is so severely damaged that recovery could take more time than the Kings have available to wait. A change in scenery, as others have noted, may be his best chance for becoming mentally healthy again.

 

[The_Jamal]

My crystal ball is seeing a break-out game for Keegan in Denver. He has had time to deprogram the weight of what he went through in the past and will recover to become the Keegan, on offense, that the team needs to see.

Plus, playing in Denver's thin air will make Keegan's shot travel just farther enough to make those front rim misses become net wigglers. (Well, that may be a stretch.)

Huerter is so severely damaged that recovery could take more time than the Kings have available to wait. A change in scenery, as others have noted, may be his best chance for becoming mentally healthy again.

Fwiw, (alot actually), Keegan's played incredible offensive basketball in January.

8 games
13 PPG
59.9% TS
40.7% from 3 (6.75 3PA/game)
13.4% USG

He's already passed his December total in 3PM in 4 less games. He's 1 3PM away from tying his Nov total in 8 less games. He's playing basically as well as you can with such a low USG role. The ultimate 3andD guy.

 

[Bfreeman]

good point about the mile high. So you have a team that is probably gassed from last night. Per Carmichael Dave's note, based upon the plane arrival time, they wouldn't get to sleep until like 4:00 am this morning. It's back to back. It's against a really good Denver team and you are playing in thin error. But Let's just hope that Denver has a really off night. It can happen.

Dave also made a great point about the road trip saying that if you were to say that you would be 3-3 after this brutal upcoming road trip, most kings fans would gladly take it. I know I would!

The thin error gets em everytime!

 

[Obnoxious]

I refuse to watch this game because im on the east coast, if my Kings do win this game, I will watch EVERY single game moving foward no matter the time. Go Kings.

 

[Tetsujin]

as a fan of a team that has largely had the same color scheme since the mid-90s, it feels like the Nuggets have a new color scheme and branding package every time I see them

 

[Tetsujin]

Michael Malone whenever the Kings are involved:

 

[Sherds]

Heres to Murray/Westbrook hopefully going for a combined 6/30 or something

 

[Tetsujin]

Heres to Murray/Westbrook hopefully going for a combined 6/30 or something

You should probably specify you mean Jamal Murray lol

 

[Tetsujin]

Probably shouldn’t use the word lethal and Michael Porter Jr in the same sentence.

 

[Tetsujin]

Braun getting cooked

 

[Tetsujin]

Good start considering the Kings got to their hotel at 4am

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Braun getting cooked

DDR returning the favor, to be honest

 

[SacTownKid]

Great strategy so far. DDR, Monk, and Fox dominating the middle because Jokic is a ghost on defense.

 

[Remi]

so far verry efficient game from both teams.

 

[Sherds]

Love when Fox gets aggressive early

 

[Tetsujin]

locked in. pic.twitter.com/bAWkxH0WFg

— Skyler (KFR) (@SacFilmRoom) January 24, 2025

 

[Fantazija]

If Demar is guarding you just make a cut and it's guaranteed lay up