- The Nuggets are 18-13 and have the second-best record in the Northwest Division.
- Atlanta is 18-15 and has the second-best record in the Southeast Division.
- These teams last played on Dec. 8, with the Nuggets rolling to an easy 141-111 victory.
After our earlier look at the Rockets vs Mavericks matchup, one of the other games on tap from Wednesday night’s NBA slate features the Denver Nuggets hosting the Atlanta Hawks. Our Nuggets vs Hawks prediction foresees the Nuggets coming out on top.
Nuggets Look To Push Winning Streak To Three Games
After double-digit losses against the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Nuggets enter this matchup riding a two-game winning streak, with wins against the Detroit Pistons (134-121) and the Utah Jazz (132-121). In their 11-point win over Utah, all five starters reached double figures, spearheaded by a spectacular effort from the reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic. He scored 36 points, pulled down 22 rebounds, and handed out 11 assists. Jokic also had four steals.
Michael Porter Jr. finished with 21 points and six rebounds. Jamal Murray added a double-double that included 20 points and 10 assists, and Christian Braun finished with 20 points on a 9-for-12 effort from the field. It is also worth noting that Russell Westbrook had a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Utah led by a slim 66-64 margin at the break. But Denver created separation thanks to a 34-23 scoring edge in the third quarter. The Nuggets won the rebounding battle 51-37. They enjoyed a 34-15 advantage in fast break points while recording 38 assists on 53 made field goals.
Atlanta Seeking Its Second Five-Game Winning Streak
On the heels of three straight losses, the Hawks have responded with four consecutive wins. This includes a 136-107 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. Four starters reached double figures in that contest. Trae Young scored a team-high 34 points, handed out 10 assists, and knocked down seven of his 13 attempts from 3-point range.
Jalen Johnson added 15 points, six steals and four rebounds. Zaccharie Risacher finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Clint Capela contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds. Atlanta got 57 points from its second unit as well.
The game was close in the first half, as the Hawks led by six points (64-58) at the break. However, Atlanta took control of the contest in the third quarter, courtesy of a 40-24 outburst that essentially put the game out of reach. The Hawks — who are ranked second in steals at 10.4 per game — recorded a season-high 22 steals and turned 31 turnovers by Toronto into 30 points.
Nuggets vs Hawks Prediction: Denver Notches Fifth Straight Win Against Atlanta
The Nuggets don’t look like the dominant team that won the title in 2023. But after a mediocre 11-10 start, they have gone 7-3 across their last 10 outings while winning their previous two games by a double-digit margin.
On the other side of this matchup, the Hawks have gone 6-4 in their previous 10 contests. And during their recent four-game winning streak, three of those victories were by double digits. While Denver and Atlanta are not great defensive teams, these two ball clubs are in the top-10 from an offensive standpoint, which means this could be a high-scoring affair. The Nuggets have won four straight in this series, and that trend will continue.
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