NBA Preview: Sacramento Kings (19-36) vs. Denver Nuggets (25-29)

Jan 26, 2014; Sacramento, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets forward JJ Hickson (7) grabs a Sacramento Kings rebound late into the second half of their NBA basketball game Sunday, January 26, 2014 at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports. Nuggest win 125-117.

The Denver Nuggets (25-29) are coming off of a dreadful performance against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, getting blowout by a team that averages around 92 points per game. They come back home in search of a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Without star point guard Ty Lawson in the lineup, the team has looked lost going 1-4 in the last five games without him.

What: NBA Preview:  vs. 
When: Sunday, February 23rd
Where: Pepsi Center
Time: 8:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM MT
TV: Altitude Sports

This is the third and final meeting between the Kings and Nuggets this season as they both have split each meeting. The last meeting was on Jan. 26th at Sleep Train Arena where the Nuggets would come away with the 125-117 win. Ty Lawson — who won’t be in the lineup (fractured rib), scored a game-high 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting, knocking down 8-of-10 free-throw attempts to go along with 6 assists. His counterpart Isaiah Thomas would score a team-high 22 points on 7-of-21 shooting, collecting 5 rebounds and 8 assists.

The Nuggets won’t see the Kings with shooting guard Marcus Thornton in the lineup as he was shipped to the Brooklyn Nets for Jason Terry and Reggie Evans. On Jan. 26th, Thornton would score 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting against Denver.

Although the Nuggets struggled to put any offensive or defensive for that matter to use against the Chicago Bulls, newly acquired point guard Aaron Brooks impressed in his Nuggets debut. Brooks would score 17 points off of the bench for Brian Shaw‘s team on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting, collecting 1 rebound and 1 assist. Jan Vesely would get some action after he was acquired from the Washington Wizards, scoring 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block in 16 minutes of action.

Projected Starting Lineups:

Sacramento Kings:

PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Ben McLemore
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Jason Thompson
C: DeMarcus Cousins

Denver Nuggets:

PG: Aaron Brooks
SG: Randy Foye
SF: Wilson Chandler
PF: Kenneth Faried
C: J.J. Hickson