By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Denver Nuggets poured all their frustrations on the Atlanta Hawks after obliterating them by 30 points, 141-111, in the ongoing NBA regular season on December 9, 2024.
Fresh off a stunning loss against the league’s worst team, the Washington Wizards, the Nuggets looked like a different squad against the Hawks and dominated them from start to finish.
As early as the opening quarter, the Nuggets had already doubled their lead and headed into the second frame holding a 15-point advantage.
Denver’s mastery didn’t end after the first 12 minutes of action. They continued their all-around efficiency in the second quarter, outscoring Atlanta, 33-25.
Despite Atlanta’s three-point shooting finally finding its mark in the third frame, the Nuggets made a late push to protect their double-digit cushion and entered the final canto with all the confidence they needed for an ending with a bang.
Nikola Jokic was all over the place and manhandled the entire Atlanta lineup after scoring 48 points built from an efficient 17/29 shooting from the field.
The Serbian superstar made a living in the perimeter while also draining three three-pointers and 11 free throw attempts.
In just 35 minutes of limited playing time due to the blowout, Jokic ended the night with 48 markers, 14 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals.
This is the second consecutive game that Jokic scored more than 45 points in the week after concluding the game against the Wizards with 56 points, 16 boards, and eight dimes.
Backstopping Jokic in the lopsided victory was Michael Porter Jr. who fired 26 points derived from 12/17 shooting from the field. Christian Braun, Denver’s energy guy, chipped in 17 markers while Russell Westbrook added nine points and 11 assists.
On the other hand, the Hawks had another balanced offensive attack as six of their players all reached double digits in scoring but there was just no one who could stop Jokic’s scoring in the paint.
The Nuggets will look to sustain their momentum on December 14, 2024, against the Los Angeles Clippers while Atlanta aims to bounce back on December 12, 2024, against the New York Knicks.
