Denver Nuggets vs. Atlanta Hawks Preview
Preview
Back on November 12, the Denver Nuggets dismantled the Atlanta Hawks 105-96 in the Mile High City. Since that time, the Nuggets have lost 10 of their last 16 games. On the flip side, the Hawks won 10 of their 15 matchups. But the Achilles heel for both teams is injuries (more on that later).
While both teams deal with the injury bug, they must make do with what they have available. The Nuggets have perhaps the best all-around player in the league in Nikola Jokic. The reigning MVP leads the Nuggets in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Jokic is basically what Quavo is to the Migos. Swae Lee to Rae Sremmurd. Lauryn Hill to The Fugees. Anyways, y'all get the point.
Despite having a generational talent, the Nuggets struggle mightily on offense. Their 105.1 offensive rating is very average. They're one of the worst rebound and free-throw shooting teams in the league. Even worse, they play at a pace that would make molasses impatient.
While the Nuggets are devoid of fun, the Hawks don't have problems on the offensive end. The young roster has plenty of flaws, but scoring points isn't one of them. The Hawks are top-three in offensive rating and three-point shooting percentage - not a bad combination.
The lion's share of credit goes to their team leader, Trae Young. The wiry one-guard is averaging 27 points and 9.3 assists per game. No other player ranks in the top-three in both statistical categories. Make no mistake, he deserves to be in the MVP discussion.
But let us not forget the contributions from the rest of the Hawks. John Collins averages roughly 17 points and 8 rebounds per game. Clint Capela's 12.9 rebounds per game is third in the NBA. Once the Hawks get healthy, they will be contenders.
Injury Report
Like I foreshadowed earlier, injuries remain a problem for the Nuggets. JaMychal Green (ankle sprain), Markus Howard (left knee sprain), Jamal Murray (knee), and Kevin Porter Jr. (back) are all out. Austin Rivers (health & safety) is probable.
The Hawks health is slowly starting to improve. Onyeka Okongwu (right shoulder) is probable. Bogdan Bogdanovic (right ankle sprain), De'Andre Hunter (right wrist tendon surgery), and Solomon Hill (right hamstring tear) are all out of action.
Odds
SI Sportsbook lists the Hawks as 4-point favorites. The points total is 223.5. The fact that the Hawks are solid favorites speaks to the struggles of the Nuggets. The Hawks have literally only beaten one contender this season (a short-handed Milwaukee Bucks in November).
With the possible return of Okongwu, tonight is shaping up to be a joyous night in Atlanta. A win against a contender (albeit one that's not playing well) would lift the spirits of a lot of Hawks fans. Thanks to injuries and blown leads the team has not lived up to its sky-high expectations. Let's hope that begins to change tonight.
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