Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III, center, gets between Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, and center Nikola Jokic in an attempt to score at Ball Arena in Denver on Fri Jan 7, 2022 (AP News photo)

Denver Dominates Sacramento 121-111

By Barbara Mason

Struggles for the Sacramento Kings (16-25) continued against the Denver Nuggets (19-18). The team has struggled with the inability to finish games. They have squandered winnable games throughout the season and Friday night in Denver was no different as the Kings took a 121-111 loss to the Nuggets.

The first half was a tough one for the Kings as they took on the Nuggets. The Nuggets played both quarters at a nice pace, with great passing and a lot of patience. The entire team was playing in a near perfect rhythm which was trouble for the Kings. At the half the score was 66-54.

At one point in the half the Nuggets had 32 points in the paint while the Kings had 37 points total. At the half the Nuggets had the Kings number and there was nothing that Sacramento was able to do in the first two quarters to change the course of the first half.

Down by 20 points at one time in the first half, the Kings started to make a move in the third quarter. Sacramento got within four points of Denver but as has happened in the past, they let it slip away.

Every time that the Kings made a move, Denver had the answer. As the third quarter came to an end, the Nuggets led 96-85. Sacramento had far too many missed shots; misses from players that usually have a lot more success.

The Nuggets had a significant lead throughout most of this game. Denver had more fouls than the Kings by a couple, 20-18. The Kings had 46 rebounds to the Nuggets 41. The Kings had close third and fourth quarters winning both of them by a single points. It was the 12 point deficit at the half that determined the outcome of this game.

High score for the Kings was De’Aaron Fox with 30 and for the Nuggets Nicola Jokic had 33 points. Both teams had nice work off the bench, the Kings with 44 and the Nuggets with 42 points. Sacramento’s defensive woes continued in this game as well.

Sacramento will have a travel day tomorrow heading into Portland for a date with the Trail Blazers for Sun Jan 9th tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM.