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  • The Kings are 13-13 and have the worst record in the Pacific Division.
  • Denver is 13-10 and has the second-best record in the Northwest Division.
  • These teams last played on Feb. 28, with the Nuggets claiming a 101-94 victory.

After our previous looks at the Hornets-Sixers and the Raptors-Bulls matchups, another game on tap from Monday night’s NBA slate features the Sacramento Kings squaring off against the Denver Nuggets. Our Kings vs Nuggets prediction foresees Sacramento coming out on top.

Kings Looking To Stay Hot

After a 115-110 setback against the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 5, the Kings have responded with three straight wins, including a 111-109 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night. Four starters reached double figures in that contest. Domantas Sabonis turned in a spectacular performance that included 32 points (11-15 FG), 20 rebounds, and three assists.

DeMar DeRozan added 29 points, three rebounds, and two assists. De’Aaron Fox and Keegan Murray both finished with 18 points each. Sacramento held a 91-83 advantage heading into the final frame, but New Orleans did not go away quietly. Following a pair of defensive stops, the Pelicans had a chance to tie or win the game in the final seconds.

Fortunately, Malik Monk stole the ball from Dejounte Murray (which was recorded as a block) and Sabonis grabbed the loose ball to secure the win for Sacramento. The Kings shot 40.2 percent overall and just 30.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Nuggets Seeking Third Straight Victory

Meanwhile, after back-to-back losses against the Cleveland Cavaliers (126-114) and the Washington Wizards (122-113), the Nuggets come into this matchup riding a two-game winning streak. This includes a blowout 120-98 victory against the LA Clippers on Friday night. Jamal Murray led a quartet of starters that scored in double figures. He finished with 20 points, five rebounds, and four steals.

Michael Porter Jr. added 17 points and five rebounds. After scoring 56 and 48 points in his previous two outings, Nikola Jokic contributed a season-low 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Denver held a 12-point lead in the second quarter before LA went on an 18-7 run to trim the deficit to one point at intermission.

However, the Nuggets responded with a 23-5 outburst in the third quarter and outscored the Clippers by a 72-51 margin in the second half. In addition to outshooting the Clippers (54.5 to 44.6 percent), the Nuggets also won the rebounding battle by a decisive 46-31 margin and held a 58-42 advantage in points in the paint.

Kings vs Nuggets Prediction: Sacramento Wins A Close One

While the Kings are 6-6 in their last 12 contests, they have won four of their last five games. Sacramento is also a top-10 squad from an offensive standpoint. On the other hand, the Nuggets have produced three wins across their previous five outings following a 10-8 start. And their average margin of victory in their last two games is 26 points per contest. Look for Sacramento to edge Denver by a small margin.

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