Kings vs. Nuggets Preview – By the Numbers

December 2, 2023

After an emotional let-down of a game for both players and fans, the Kings are back in action against the Nuggets in the Golden 1 Center. Denver is quietly sitting at 2nd in the Western Conference with a 14-6 record and have won 4 straight. With the 7th ranked offense and 12th ranked defense, they are getting it done on both sides of the ball. Let’s get into what we might see more of tonight.

You can’t talk about the Nuggets without starting with Nikola Jokić. The two-time MVP is averaging a career high 28.6 Points per game, 12.7 Rebounds, 9.6 Assists, 1.2 Steals, and 0.8 Blocks. he does everything for Denver and has upped his 3-point shooting this season. He’s taking a career high 4.2 3’s and making them at a 30.4% clip. It’s just high enough of a percentage that you have to constantly worry about him taking the long ball.

What makes Jokić so difficult to guard is his ability to makes shots all over the court. He’s shooting 69.2% in the Restricted Area, 64.0% in the Floater Area, and 47.6% from Mid-Range. His strength inside is nearly unmatched, but it’s his touch on the floater and at the rim that makes him extraordinary, along with his elite passing. I go into this one expecting Jokić to have a big game, but hope the Kings can limit the other Nuggets players to keep it close.

Jamal Murray gets more headlines, but Michael Porter Jr. is 2nd on the team with 17.7 Points per game. He’s shooting 38.7% on 7.8 3’s per game, but really loves the Corner 3, making them at a 48.3% clip. Murray is sitting at 16.3 Points and 7.3 Assists with a 42.5% 3P%. No wonder this team just won a championship…

So how can the Kings walk away with the win tonight? An area where Sacramento comes in with an advantage is at the Free Throw line. They are averaging 24.6 freebies per game, 9th in the league, compared to 20.0 for the Nuggets, 27th. And believe it or not, the Kings have the FT% advantage as well. The Kings are sitting at 73.7%, 27th, but the Nuggets are last in the league at 70.7%.

That officially makes made Free Throws the swing stat of the game. Denver only averages 14.1 FT’s per game, last in the league, while the Kings are at 18.1, 13th. Fox has been on a terror getting to the line lately, getting to the line 10 and 17 times the last two games. He bounced back nicely from his 9-of-17 night from the line to make 9-of-10 against the Clippers.

Other than the off nights from the FT line, Fox has been an MVP caliber player early this year. He’s averaging 30.7 Points, 4.8 Rebounds, and 5.8 Assists per game.

When Fox is making his shots at a high clip at the rim, he’s one of the best players in the league. When he’s doing that AND making his 3’s? That how he can get into the MVP conversation and make some noise in it. Fox is out here making 30 Point nights look effortless. Enjoy it Kings fans, we have a true star in the league on our team, and I don’t intend to take it for granted.