Game Thread: Hawks at Nuggets -- 1/10

[Jamaaliver]

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Everything you need to know about Atlanta Hawks at Denver Nuggets

With the Hawks rebuilding after losing playoff pillars Al Horford and Paul Millsap in recent offseasons, Schroeder is now Atlanta’s centerpiece. The point guard from Germany is averaging career-bests in scoring (19.8 points per game), assists (6.5 per game) and steals (1.1 per game) while shooting 44.2 percent from the floor. He totaled 20 points and six assists in the Hawks’ home loss to Denver in late October.

Hawks entered Tuesday with the NBA’s worst overall record (10-30) and worst road record (3-19). Atlanta has also lost six of its last seven games. … The Hawks entered Tuesday ranked 26th in the NBA in defensive rating (108.1 points allowed per 100 possessions) and last in defensive rebounding percentage (73.9)


Wednesday’s game against the Hawks will mark the midway point of Denver’s regular season. Nikola Jokic is coming off his first triple-double of the season, totaling 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in Monday’s loss at the Warriors. Denver is 5-4 since moving Jokic to power forward to pair with Plumlee, a starting lineup that has also helped the Nuggets to the NBA’s sixth-best defensive rating (103.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) over that span.

Denver entered Tuesday ranked fifth in the league in rebounding (45.2 per game), second in offensive rebounding (11.5 per game) and first in second-chance points (14.8 per game).

Denver Post

Spoiler:

Nuggets guarding against trap from Hawks

Losing on the road to the reigning NBA champs is not a bad thing. Losing to one of the worst teams in the league, at home, would be.

The Denver Nuggets know that going into Wednesday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks at Pepsi Center, but if they think they can take a night off against a team that has lost 10 straight road games then Monday's results should be a wakeup call.

The Hawks, owners of a 3-19 road record, took the Los Angeles Clippers to the final seconds before falling 108-107 on a 3-pointer by L.A. guard C.J. Williams. The one-point loss -- Atlanta's second on this five-game Western Conference swing -- is a cautionary tale for a Denver team that sometimes lets up against inferior opponents.

Atlanta (10-30) is a only few years removed from reaching the Eastern Conference finals but is in definite rebuilding mode. One reason is the departure of power forward Paul Millsap, who signed as a free agent with Denver last summer.

Millsap won't face his former team because of wrist surgery that will keep him out until after the All-Star break -- at minimum. But the Nuggets (21-19) will have motivation to win after going 0-2 on the road against Sacramento and Golden State.

Nuggets SG Gary Harris has picked up his scoring. He is averaging 18.4 points over the last 10 games and leads the Nuggets in scoring at 16.7 points a game.

The Hawks will have to try to stop him to have any chance to salvage one win on this five-game road trip.

ESPN

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[jayu70]

Easy loss. End of a road trip in Mile High Denver...yep.
Guys will look like they're running in cement boots tonight.

[Jamaaliver]

We're the worst defensive rebounding team facing the best offensive rebound team.

Things could get ugly.

[Spud2nique]

Lost 4 straight. Last game of the trip. Last won a road game on Dec. 2nd at Brooklyn. No Sap tonight. Nuggets favored by 9.5

Nuggets 117
Hawks 101

The tank continues....stealth style..

[graymule]

Hawks play up or down, depending on our opponent. Since Denver is so good and they may be looking
past the lowly Atlanta lads, this may be closer than expected.

Do I expect Hawks to win? Heck no. We're comfortable, sitting where we are. But, on the other hand,
team can relax and just play the game. If our shots fall with regularity and we refrain from going into
our famous sleepwalk mode, could be very close like some of our other games on this trip.

[ATL Boy]

Maybe we can leave Bazemore and his contract in Denver trade style tonight?

As for the game it should definitely be a loss. We've opened up the gap enough at the bottom to be able to enjoy some home Ws in the upcoming home stand, so that'll be fun.


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[Jamaaliver]

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[HMFFL]

Denver is favored to win by 9.5 points.
At home Denver is 14-4.

[johanliebert]

got a preview appreaciate it if you'd guys tune in

Watch on YouTube

[ducler]

[NuggetsWY]

:crazy:
Hawks play up or down, depending on our opponent. Since Denver is so good and they may be looking past the lowly Atlanta lads, this may be closer than expected.

Do I expect Hawks to win? Heck no. We're comfortable, sitting where we are. But, on the other hand, team can relax and just play the game. If our shots fall with regularity and we refrain from going into our famous sleepwalk mode, could be very close like some of our other games on this trip.

Nuggets play up or down, depending on our opponent. Since Atlanta isn't looking so good, the Nuggets may be looking past the Atlanta lads, this may be closer than expected.

Do I expect Denver to win? Sure. We're comfortable, when playing at home. But, on the other hand, our team tends to relax and just play the game. If our shots fall with regularity and we refrain from going into our famous turnover mode, could be very close like so many of our others games.


And that's the truth!

[graymule]

Regardless of what happens, Hawks have won half a game. They do this - - often. Look at how fast
the Nuggets can come back. Early in the second quarter, they hit two 3's and a two and Hawks 10
point was, quiet suddenly, only 2.

I said:

if our shots fall - - - they have.
if we do not sleepwalk - - - they haven't.
It could be close - - So far, so good.

Can the Hawks continue this - - Of course not, but isn't it exciting to see this! And, remember, if we
do slip up and win this one, we're still entrenched on the very bottom, win or lose. Therefore:

GO HAWKS !!

[Spud2nique]

Wow...we shoot 50% from the field and 46% from 3....that'll beat almost anybody! We came out ballin!

GO HAWKS!!!!

(Nice win back to tank though please)

[Spud2nique]

We are officially at the halfway mark...11-30...double that and we are looking at 22-60 to finish...of course you can't assume that and there are some meaningless wins in April...but as long as we shed some vets we are good.

Ps Last season the Nets were the worst team with 20 wins. Next team had about 26 wins if I'm not mistaken. We are in a good position to land a big dog.

[graymule]

Wow! Hawks won the second half also. We saw the real Hawks tonight!
Don't worry tankers. We're still safely on the bottom. Gotta be careful.
Home for almost all the remainder of the month and it will be so tempting
to grab some wins and fall out of the bottom.

GREAT WIN HAWKS !!

[ATL Boy]

Well, I guess it was inevitable that we get a road win eventually. Then again I did not expect for that win to come in the Caboose game of a western conference road trip. 9 of the next 10 at home to end the month, I can't wait to re-acquaint myself with the friendly Phillips Arena confines.

[NuggetsWY]

Congrats on a win and congrats on having good RealGM fans. I avoid most team boards simply because of attitudes. Thank you everyone for not "beating me up" during this game (((which it would have been easy to do))).

The Hawks played well with consistent effort. IMO they controlled the game almost all the way. Nope, don't think this makes the Hawks playoff ready but it does show that there is some good stuff. It also showed the Nuggets have a long way to go.

May the NBA draft bless you with three great 1st round picks and two surprisingly good 2nd round picks.

[jayu70]

Grizz win, Mavs win, Bulls win, Jazz win, Hawks WIN!!. We all win, Nice.
Coach Bud with win #200.

[jayu70]

Congrats on a win and congrats on having good RealGM fans. I avoid most team boards simply because of attitudes. Thank you everyone for not "beating me up" during this game (((which it would have been easy to do))).

The Hawks played well with consistent effort. IMO they controlled the game almost all the way. Nope, don't think this makes the Hawks playoff ready but it does show that there is some good stuff. It also showed the Nuggets have a long way to go.

May the NBA draft bless you with three great 1st round picks and two surprisingly good 2nd round picks.

Lol, we don't beat up on other fans who visit here unless you come with a bad attitude.
The way the Hawks played tonight, is how they've played most of their games this season. They've been in 25+ games in the 4th, lack of high end talent, inexperience and lack of execution to end games limits their win total, which is all good considering the tank effect.
It's the Competitank!

[jayu70]

So the lineups have shifted again....Delaney is back as the backup PG. Tyler Dorsey seeing minutes.