Denver @ Sacramento preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 20, 2017 ) Denver 114, Sacramento 98

The Denver Nuggets are gaining confidence and aim to win for the sixth time in the past eight games when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Denver continued a stretch of strong defensive performances by forcing the Utah Jazz into 17 turnovers during Friday's 99-91 home victory.

The Nuggets begin their recent run by allowing an average of 83 points during a three-game winning streak that included an epic effort while holding the potent Golden State Warriors to just 81. Denver's defense was at its best in the third quarter of Friday's game when the club outscored the Jazz 38-16 to take a 19-point lead into the final quarter. Hapless Sacramento has dropped five of its last six games and allowed a season worst for points in Tuesday's 131-111 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Rookie point guard De'Aaron Fox (quadriceps) returned from a six-game absence to score 17 points.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Altitude2 (Denver), NBCSN California (Sacramento)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (21-17): Third-year forward Trey Lyles scored a career-best 26 points against his former teammates on Friday and has suddenly scored in double digits in 12 of the past 13 games. Lyles was given a larger role after All-Star power forward Paul Millsap suffered a wrist injury and his latest performance included four 3-pointers as well as seven rebounds. "I went out there with the mindset to just play the game," Lyles told reporters afterward. "It doesn't matter who it's going against - luckily it was against them. Another game in the books for me."

ABOUT THE KINGS (12-25): Sacramento's defense was horrid in the loss to Charlotte as it allowed the Hornets to shoot 57.3 percent from the field, including 15-of-32 from 3-point range. "It has me speechless, there's nothing to say," guard Garrett Temple told reporters. "We have to guard. We have to man up and play defense, defend guys. ... I don't care how young we are, we have to defend." The Kings are allowing an average of 118.7 points over the past three games (all losses) and have allowed fewer than 100 in each of their last four victories.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Nuggets won this season's first two meetings by an average of 16.5 points and have emerged victorious in each of the past four meetings.

2. Denver C Nikola Jokic was just 3-of-13 shooting for eight points against Utah to end a string of nine straight double-digit efforts.

3. Sacramento PF Zach Randolph recorded 24 points and 10 rebounds versus Charlotte for his first double-double since Dec. 10.

PREDICTION: Kings 106, Nuggets 102