Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings Prediction and Betting Tips | (Dec. 15)   

It's a clutch De'Aaron Fox vs the clinical Nikola Jokic as the surging Sacramento Kings look to light the beam against the Denver Nuggets at the Golden 1 Center on Monday. Despite being an offense-heavy unit, the Kings have blown hot and cold this season. A four-game losing streak in November pushed them to the bottom of the Western Conference, but a three-game winning run has seen them inch their way back to the .500 mark.

The surge though doesn't see Sacramento off the hook. A misfiring offense and a subpar defense have seen them drop winnable contests as they dug themselves into a hole. Their recent three wins on the bounce see them 12th in the West and tied with the San Antonio Spurs. They come off a close 111-109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans led by Domantas Sabonis' 32-point double-double and DeMar DeRozan's 29 points.

A team-wide slump on both ends of the floor, along with the lack of a physical 3-and-D wing have been key reasons for the Kings, who have shown the tendency to revert to their old ways again. Injuries and inconsistencies from earlier in the season (plus a tight schedule) didn't help their case. But now, they have a chance to make a 4-0 run when they take on the Nuggets.

Denver has managed to keep their nose ahead of the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers, and the LA Lakers by less number of losses. They have one loss less than all of the aforementioned teams (two losses fewer than both the LA teams). It's also worth noting that all these teams have one win more (14) than the Nuggets. A loss on Monday can see them slip a rung.

Barring Nikola Jokic's absurd statline season, the rest of the Nuggets have been far from impressive. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games and are a sketchy 6-6 on the road. They begin their three-game road trip on the back of a two-game winning streak. The Nuggets torched the Clippers 120-98 at home and will be keen to build on that momentum against the streaking Kings.

This will be the first of the four-game series between both teams. Sacramento took the regular season series 3-1 last edition, but the Nuggets lead their opponents 102-97 in 199 regular season head-to-head showdowns.

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Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings Preview, Predicted Starting Lineups, Betting Tips, Odds, and Prediction

The Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings matchup tips off at 10 pm ET. Live coverage will be on NBCS-CA and ALT2. The game can be streamed live on Fubo TV and the NBA app with a subscription to the NBA League Pass.

Here's a look at the odds ahead as listed at the time of writing:

Teams	Spread	Total (o/u)	Moneyline
Denver Nuggets	-1	o239 (-110)	-115
Sacramento Kings	+1	u239 (-110)	-105

Note: Odds are subject to change closer to tip-off

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Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings Preview

The Denver Nuggets' size and rebounding can be an issue for the Sacramento Kings. The visitors are 22nd in scoring defense, allowing their opponents 110.6 points over 100 possessions. They are 17th in field goal defense (46.7%) and 12th in 3-point defense (35.9%). Their weak interior defense can be an issue as the Kings are one of the better teams to exploit the mid-range.

Sacramento is eighth in the league in scoring offense averaging 116.2 points, and propping up 113.5 points per 100 possessions. They are shooting 48.3% of their field goals (8th), but need work on their 34.4% 3-point shooting (21st). The Kings can exploit the Nuggets in the paint if their offensive trio of Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Derozan fire in unison.

Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic will be key to breaking down the Kings' sputtering and sometimes invisible defense. They are 16th in scoring defense allowing 110.3 points per every 100 possessions. The Nuggets are fourth in the NBA in scoring offense averaging 118.7 PPG and putting up 113.9 points per 100 possessions.

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Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings Predicted Starting Lineups

Jamal Murray (right hamstring inflammation) is listed as probable. Christian Braun (lower back strain) is questionable. Vlatko Cancar (knee surgery rehab), DaRon Holmes II (Achilles Tendon repair), and Dario Saric (left ankle sprain) are ruled out.

Position	Player
PG	Jamal Murray
SG	Christian Braun
SF	Michael Porter Jr.
PF	Aaron Gordon
C	Nikola Jokic

The Kings will be without Trey Lyles (right calf strain) and Devin Carter (shoulder). Kevin Huerter (AC sprain) is listed as doubtful. Sacramento is likely to stick to the same lineup they fielded against the Pelicans.

Position	Player
PF	De'Aaron Fox
SG	Malik Monk
SF	DeMar DeRozan
PF	Keegan Murray
C	Domantas Sabonis

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Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings Betting Tips

Aaron Gordon comes into the contest with an o/u of -118/-104 on points. Nikola Jokic is -106/-125 on points + rebounds. Jamal Murray is -113/-106 on points + assists. For the Kings, De'Aaron Fox is -104/-122 on points, and Domantas Sabonis is -111/-115 on points + rebounds.

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Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings Prediction

The Nuggets and Kings are both teams surging in the West. Expect the contest to be bucket-fest with both teams getting hot as the quarters progress. The Kings' elite scoring will see them through on Monday. Chalk up a Kings win against 'The Joker'.