To take with kings: Three things we learned in the defeat 126-112 against the Nuggets

THE SCORE OF THE BOX

Never in doubt. The Kings entered Denver and seemed all the elements of a young team looking for an identity. The Nuggets did not help in this search, beating the Kings for a 126-112 win to improve to 4-0 this season.

Gary Harris and Jamal Murray burned the Kings for a total of 37 points in just under 45 minutes of action. Nikola Jokic headed for a triple double before moving on to the fourth quarter.

Sacramento had some difficulties, but there were some encouraging performances. Marvin Bagley, Justin Jackson and Frank Mason all sparked the team, but it was not enough.

Here are three takeaways while the Kings fall to 1-3 on the season.

Deplorable defense

The Nuggets are really good, but the Kings made them look like contenders. Denver attacked Sacramento's home defense and the visiting team did not get an answer.

Under the leadership of Jokic, the Nuggets dismantled the Kings, scoring 52% of the field and 37.9% of the long-term. The numbers would have been worse if the Nuggets were not on the bench before the fourth quarter.

Comment by Justin Jackson

After struggling in the Kings' first two games, Justin Jackson seemed more comfortable leaving coach Dave Joerger's bench. He had a solid 11-point, five-rebound and three-pass loss to the Thunder on Sunday, and started the game Tuesday in Denver.

Jackson drilled 3-for-5 long-range on his way to 17 points. He looked confident with his shot and was one of the few pluses of an otherwise difficult performance of Sacramento.

Bagley Building

It's not easy being a rookie, but Bagley is enjoying every game to improve. The 19-year-old scored 20 points on a 9-for-11 shot and added nine rebounds and three assists in the evening.

In addition to posting a number of attacks, Bagley blocked five shots. It's a work in progress on a defensive level, but he showed that he could be a protector of the rim, especially in face-to-face situations.