Denver Nuggets fall to Kings after Sacramento’s fast start

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – If the final 26 games of the regular season are a sprint, coach Michael Malone and his Denver Nuggets better check to see if the Sacramento Kings left the starting blocks early.

Sacramento got off to a fast start in the first half, countered a few minor Nuggets surges in the third quarter, and ran away with a 116-100 victory. The Kings (25-33) closed to within a half-game of the Nuggets (25-32) for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

Sacramento led 61-44 at the half and the lead grew to 21 points early in the second half before Wilson Chandler’s jumper cut the lead to 12 at 73-61 with six minutes left in the third quarter. Chandler nailed a 3-pointer…