Preview: Nuggets try to redeem loss against Hawks
By Asher Levy
The Denver Nuggets are facing off against the Atlanta Hawks tonight and are coming off an impressive win over the Golden State Warriors. The last time the two teams tipped off to try and win, the Nuggets suffered one of their worst losses of the season against a Trae Young-less Hawks team.
It was during a stretch in which Michael Porter Jr. was missing games with a heel strain, and the Nuggets’ defense was lit up by Dejounte Murray in pick and roll. He had open jump shots for the majority of his shots, and if he didn’t someone else was open for him to dime up. The defense was shambolic that night. Since that loss though, the Nuggets have improved a lot and become one of the title favorites.
Since December 2nd, the Denver Nuggets have the 2nd best offense in the entire league in that span of time, as well as the 9th best defense. They have locked in more (having the 2nd best net rating in that span), and have been far more reliable when going up against opponents they should beat. The Hawks, on the other hand, have the 22nd best net rating in the league.
They have struggled, and there’s a chance they may be without Trae Young yet again tonight. Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon are both questionable too, but if Nikola Jokic plays there shouldn’t be a very close score at the end of the night. The Denver Nuggets have more talent and have been on a good run.
Jamal Murray has been lighting it up as of late too, and is far better now than he was at the start of December. He’s in a zone where he’s playing free and is close to being the most confident he ever has been. With him and Michael Porter Jr. coming more and more into form every game, there’s good reason to think the Nuggets could win this one even without Joker.
Where, When, Who
When: 7:00 PM MST
Who: Denver Nuggets (36-16, 24-4 home) vs Atlanta Hawks (27-26, 14-15 away)
Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
How to Watch: NBA League Pass, Altitude Sports