Four Keys to Hawks Beating Nuggets Tonight
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The Atlanta Hawks will have their hands full against the Denver Nuggets tonight. Even at full health, Atlanta is outmatched by Denver. Now that the injury bug has bitten Atlanta, there is even less room for error.
Earlier this morning, we put out the complete game day preview. Now it is time to list the four keys to victory tonight for Atlanta.
Pace
Similar to other teams with dominant big men, Denver plays at a slower pace. Conversely, Atlanta prefers an up-tempo style as their half-court offense remains a work in progress.
Over the past few games, more teams have employed a zone defense against Atlanta. If Denver does the same, Atlanta cannot slow down and stop attacking the paint.
Interior Defense
Every time Nikola Jokic steps on the court, he is the center of attention. The perennial All-NBA center leads Denver in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. While Jokic's numbers have dipped slightly this season, Atlanta still has their work cut out for them.
This is especially true, given the sudden lack of depth in the frontcourt. Hawks head coach Nate McMillan and his defensive coordinator, Mike Longabardi, are undoubtedly planning for it as we speak.
Trae Young
Trae Young is averaging almost 28 points and ten assists per game. Of course, the vast majority of NBA players would gladly take that stat line. But Young has been displeased with his performance so far this season.
The 24-year-old is averaging career-low shooting percentages. Whether it's due to roster configuration, game plans, or just missing shots, Atlanta needs Young at his best if they are going to beat Denver tonight.
Role Players
Atlanta is without John Collins, De'Andre Hunter, and Justin Holiday tonight. Additionally, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, Jalen Johnson, and Frank Kaminsky are all listed as questionable.
It is safe to assume players like Jarrett Culver and Vit Krejci, that were once relegated to the bench will receive a hefty amount of playing time tonight. Coach McMillan has experimented with his rotations quite a bit over the past week, and he will have to get very creative to maximize the talent of the players he has available.
