First term:
The Nuggets came out like on the fourth game of a six-day trip, without energy and the ball turned. Zeke Nnaji finally opened the scoring for Denver with a three-point jumper. The Falcons also started cold and started the game with 2/8. About 3 minutes later, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. started trading baskets, and it looks like the ring is getting bigger for both teams. Falcons take over the first exit with 6:58 left in the quarter; Nuggets led 12-9.
Outside the countdown, the pace started to accelerate and both teams struggled to come to a halt. Finally, Michael Porter jr. Of all the people the bleeding stopped with a pretty weak side block on Trae Young’s imposition attempt; it led to a transition three for Will Barton. The next possession was a quick steal from Denver that led to an MPJ lineup that increased the Nuggets’ lead to 7.
The substitutes started taking the court and in his first minutes of rotation in some time, Bol Bol immediately struck an easy layout with a simple cut to the basket and sweet dish by Campazzo. A few minutes later he also hit a corner three. Jokic struggled to score the entire quarter, and that followed when he finally got to the release line, making the first miss and making the second. Atlanta has done most of their damage to the hoop and if more of their jumpers start falling, they can quickly regain the lead. For now, Nuggets lead 33-27 to finish first.
Second term:
Our old friend Danilo Gallinari scored a try from a late defensive rotation on the Falcons’ first possession and Malone took a rage exception 16 seconds into the quarter. The bank gave up the rest of their lead when Atlanta started the quarter with a 10-0 run.
The Nuggets offense stood around too much, as we see so often when Jokic leaves court. The Hawks started a zone defense and Denver couldn’t figure it out. On the defensive side, Tony Snell, a 52% three-point shooter, was repeatedly left open on the three-point line and he made Denver pay predictably.
Then Monte Morris got hot and scored six straight to put the Nuggets back on track with 2. Jokic returned, but his form continued from the first quarter. Meanwhile, the Falcons came to the basket at random and went on an 8-0 run to put 51-47 back.
Jamal hit a tough try, but the Hawks went on to a point where they had their biggest lead of the game at 10 points. This extended 21-9 run was mainly fueled by tired legs and lazy turnover by the Nuggets. The Falcons chased them out on both sides. Denver scored the last bucket of the half and went 56-64 at halftime.
Third term:
Trae Young still has to be fired at the end of the half due to the technical call he asked for because he got on fire. The Nuggets actually started the half well, but once Trae was really up and running, Atlanta started building on the lead. Nikola did not cut out of his shooting range at halftime and was off the field until 3/12. No one else acted to take Nikola off the standings and so did the Hawks with 17. Timeout Nuggets with 4:37 left in the quarter.
The Hawks continued to tear Denver apart from pick and roll, dribble penetration and Trae Young’s heroic deeds. Their lead stood at 23 before a try in Campazzo and Hampton dunk sparked a mini-5-0 run for Denver. At the end of a second rough quarter, the deficit was reduced to 17. 93-76 Valke.
It’s going to take a huge effort to get back into this game, and you have to wonder if the exhaustion of the ride can be overcome. Maybe Jokic was just saving its makes for the last quarter.
Fourth term:
Jumpers still fell short to start the quarter, but Denver’s aggression and energy increased at least on both sides. It yielded no immediate results because they defended too much and made Atlanta pay them. Yet you got the feeling that the Nuggets would not cause a lack of effort in the fourth reason they lost. Back-to-back tries by Jamal and Monte and the lead was cut to 13.
When we got back, both teams started trading baskets and the Nuggets could not build on their run. With 4:07 left in the game, the Falcons were now at 15 and started running out of time on the Nuggets return hope.
With just under two minutes left, Facundo hit a couple of tries to drop the deficit to 8 with a chance at the miraculous. It was just as close as the Nuggets would get as they yielded a few more points but could not force turnover. Instead, they sent Atlanta’s players to the free throw line where they sent Denver away.
In the end, Denver dug themselves too deep into the hole in the second and third quarters to climb out completely. Trae Young’s 35 points and 15 assists and Clint Capela’s defense and ultra-efficient 22 points and 10 rebounds led the Hawks in a somewhat competitive relationship past the Nuggets. The Nuggets are missing key contributors and had the right to be tired, but a team of Atlanta’s caliber is still vulnerable to beat.