Nuggets vs Kings Free Pick, NBA Free Picks, NBA Predictions 4/9/25
- J.A. Cavalier
- Apr 9
- 3 min read
DENVER @ SACRAMENTO (DEN -2.5, 234.5)
NBA ODDS, NBA PREDICTIONS, NBA PREVIEWS
NUGGETS @ KINGS 4/9/25
The Denver Nuggets will travel to play the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, with interim coach David Adelman in charge of the team's final three regular season games after head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth were shockingly fired on Tuesday. Denver (47-32) fell into a six-team Western Conference tangle of teams trying to either avoid the play-in round or secure home-court advantage in the upcoming playoffs after a four-game losing streak.
Prior to the Los Angeles Lakers' game against NBA-leading Oklahoma City, the Nuggets were 1.5 games behind the Lakers in third place. The Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State, Minnesota, and Memphis were all half a game behind Denver.
In the final stretch run before the playoffs, Denver is the second team in the West to fire its coach. Taylor Jenkins was relieved of his responsibilities on March 28 by Memphis, one of the Nuggets' final two regular-season opponents.
Only two years after Denver made it to and won its only NBA Finals, Malone was fired. His 471 Nuggets victories are the most in the team's history. After leading Portland, Oregon's Lincoln High School to a city championship in 2011, Adelman, who has been an assistant coach for the Nuggets since 2017, is taking on his first head coaching responsibilities.
With Jamal Murray out until at least the beginning of the playoffs due to a hamstring injury, the Nuggets' quest for postseason positioning was already uncertain. Murray missed all four of Denver's losses in its current losing streak. Christian Braun scored 30 points during Sunday's 125-120 defeat to Indiana. Braun emphasized his part in helping the Nuggets regain their footing and escape the play-in round.
Despite the team's struggles, center Nikola Jokic is trying to tie Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James with the fourth Most Valuable Player award of his career. Jokic is also on track to become the third player to average a triple-double in a season, joining Oscar Robertson and current Denver teammate Russell Westbrook.
After a recent run that included a 61-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist performance against Minnesota, Jokic is now averaging 30.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game. Against Indiana, he also had 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists.
On Wednesday, Sacramento (39–40) aims to maintain Denver's chaos and contain Jokic while securing its spot in the play-in round. After rallying in the second half to defeat the playoff-bound Detroit Pistons 127-117, the Kings are now one game ahead of Dallas for ninth place through Monday. The Kings finished their last road trip of the season 3-3 after rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit. It was their third consecutive victory.
Zach LaVine has scored 80 points overall in the Kings' last two games, including a season-high 43 against Detroit. LaVine was not yet acquired by Sacramento when the Kings last faced the Nuggets on January 23. LaVine was brought in from Chicago as part of a three-team deal in February that sent De'Aaron Fox to San Antonio and put him back in the backcourt with DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan just finished a 37-point game on Monday.
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COACH RICK FREE PICK:
KINGS OVER 115.5
Sacramento has won three straight and the Kings scored 120 or more points in all three games. Obviously, they’ve gone Over this team total in three straight games as well. For the season, the Kings average 116 points per game. Tonight will be the fourth and final game between these two teams. In the first three, Sacramento went Over tonight’s team total twice, scoring 129 and 123 points. The Kings have lost all three games, but don’t forget that the Nuggets rank 25th in the NBA in scoring defense allowing 117.1 points per game.