The Atlanta Hawks will try to extend their winning streak to seven games on Sunday evening when they face the Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic.
Atlanta won its sixth straight game, the longest active winning streak in the Eastern Conference, by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 134-132 in overtime on Friday.
The Nuggets have lost their last two games, including a surprising 122-113 loss to Washington on Saturday that ended the Wizards’ 16-game losing streak. Jokic scored a career-high 56 points — 23 of which came in the third quarter — and added 16 rebounds and eight assists.
Last season, the Nuggets won both games against Atlanta, defeating them 129-122 in Atlanta and winning 142-110 in Denver. Denver has won the last three matchups between the teams.
In Atlanta’s win over the Lakers, Trae Young had a historic performance. He made the game-winning shot, scored 31 points, and recorded 20 assists, becoming the first player in franchise history to have at least 30 points and 20 assists in a game. He also grabbed four rebounds and had two steals.
“My confidence comes from the work that I’ve put in over the years,” Young said. “I’ve put so much work in and so many hours over the years that a few missed shots, even in the last few games, isn’t going to stop me from shooting the next 3.”
During their six-game winning streak, the Hawks are averaging 122.7 points, almost five more than their season average of 117.3. Young is averaging 21.2 points and a league-leading 12.3 assists per game, with Jalen Johnson contributing 19.8 points and 9.9 rebounds, and De’Andre Hunter averaging 19.2 points.
“I’m proud of the way we’re playing, but not because of any comparison to other teams or any past success,” said Atlanta coach Quin Snyder. “These guys are their own team. For them to continue to build an identity that they can feel and replicate, I think that’s the main thing.”
Jokic is averaging 31.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 10.3 assists this season. However, his numbers are lower against the Hawks. In 18 career games against Atlanta, he averages 18.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists.
On Saturday, Denver was down by as many as 15 points in the third quarter and could not recover.
“I don’t care if a team is 20-3 like Cleveland or has lost 16 in a row like Washington, if you wait to start playing hard in this league, what happened tonight is exactly what’s going to happen to you,” said Denver coach Michael Malone. “We’ve seen this happen time and time again.”
After a five-game winning streak in early November, the Nuggets have gone 4-7. Malone pointed out that the team’s issues are mainly on defense.
“We have a lot of issues, mainly on the defensive end of the floor,” he said. “We play a team on (Sunday) that’s won six in a row. That’s one thing about the NBA, no one feels sorry for you, and we have to all realize that we all have to start participating in our own recovery. No one is going to give you an olive branch.”
