Two weeks before the start of the playoffs, the NBA champions found Jamal Murray, and it was Atlanta who paid the price! A big victory for the Nuggets, who won 142-110 to get back on the heels of the Wolves in the race for 1st place in the West.
With Nikola Jokic to strike from afar, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to pass the first curtain, the Nuggets quickly took the measure of the Hawks. Six minutes of observation round, and then Denver signs a 10-0 to put itself at ease (27-17). Only Clint Capela and Jalen Johnson resist, and with the entry of replacements, it becomes even more complicated for the Hawks.
With Justin Holiday and Reggie Jackson at the finish, the Nuggets signed an 11-3 to start the 2nd quarter, and the gap increased to +15 (44-29). We have a few “hooray basketball” passages with Murray cutting through the defense to serve Peyton Watson under the circle (56-39). Opposite, the Hawks survive only by 3-pointers with Garrison Mathews. At halftime, the gap stabilized: 69-56.
The Nuggets put on a show
After the break, the Nuggets insist, just to have a quiet evening. Jamal Murray reassures his teammates and his fans, and his six points in a row make it possible to respond to the missiles of Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Nuggets are approaching 20 points, and Mike Malone can start to rotate. And it's Reggie Jackson, like in the 2nd quarter, who breaks the Hawks' lock. In the blink of an eye, the gap goes from +15 to +25!
Denver can then just manage the end of the match, and Jokic will sit for the entire last quarter. He already had his triple-double in his pocket, and his teammates put on a show with this back dunk from Peyton Watson, this pass behind Jackson's back, or even this fadeaway at the buzzer from Holiday in the corner. In the end, a 32-point victory with a season record for assists. Ideal for preparing for the shock, or rather the final, against Wolves. It will be Wednesday evening.
What you must remember
– Aaron Gordon spared. People come and go in the Nuggets infirmary, and when Jamal Murray comes out, it's Aaron Gordon who arrives there with a foot problem. A priori, nothing too serious since the winger is considered “day-to-day”. In his absence, Mike Malone opted for Christian Braun in the starting five.
– An effective bench. In the defeat against the Clippers, the Nuggets bench was criticized for its production: only three baskets! This night, the return of Jamal Murray rebalanced things, and the replacements brought 58 points, and it was under the leadership of Reggie Jackson and Justin Holiday that the Nuggets made the break.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
