Nuggets-Hawks Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Dec 04 2012 11:19PM

The Atlanta Hawks have had plenty of time to think about their last game. Whether that translates into better defense and rebounding remains to be seen.

Atlanta will try to avoid its first set of back-to-back defeats in more than three weeks Wednesday night when the Denver Nuggets open a season-high five-game trip.

Since Friday's 113-111 home loss to Cleveland prevented them from winning seven straight for the first time since Nov. 7-20, 2009, the Hawks (9-5) have been working on their on-the-ball defense and rebounding. Atlanta's backcourt struggled against Cavs guard Jeremy Pargo, and the team was outrebounded 49-28, with Al Horford and Josh Smith combining for 19 of those for the Hawks.

Atlanta allowed 18 offensive boards that led to 27 points - the last a game-winning putback by Alonzo Gee with less than a second remaining.

"I think we have some tough guys, it's just a matter of when we get out there on that court, bringing some type of physical presence, and we didn't do it well enough against Cleveland," Hawks player development instructor Nick Van Exel told the team's official website. "And we know against Denver, they're just as tough as far as going to the offensive glass, so we've got to be prepared for that."

The Nuggets (9-9) lead the league with 15.4 offensive rebounds per game and are also scoring an NBA-best 18.4 second-chance points per contest.

Denver, though, will likely need more than just strong rebounding performances from Kenneth Faried (10.5 per game), Danilo Gallinari (6.1), Kosta Koufos (5.9) and JaVale McGee (5.7) if it is going to enjoy a successful trip.

The Nuggets, losers of three straight away from home, have given up at least 105 points in each of the last four contests. Denver avoided a season-high fourth consecutive loss with Monday's 113-110 victory over Toronto, but the team is 0-7 on the road when allowing at least 102.

"When we focus on our defense, the offense is great, the rhythm of the game is great," Gallinari told the Nuggets' official website. "We are able to run and play our game."

However, that push needs to be for the entire 48 minutes. After giving up double-digit second-half leads to Utah and Golden State during a winless three-game trip that ended with Friday's 122-103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Nuggets were outscored by 11 in the final 12 minutes on Monday.

"We've got to get better at finishing the game," coach George Karl said.

The Hawks, led by point guard Jeff Teague (7.1 assists per game), can get up and down the floor with any team - they're among the NBA's best with 16.9 fast-break points per game - but they also struggle late, averaging 22.1 points and 41.9 percent shooting in the fourth quarter.

Atlanta was outscored 31-20 in that period on Friday, the sixth consecutive home game its failed to outscore opponents in the final 12 minutes.

"I told the guys, maybe we needed a game like this," said coach Larry Drew, whose team has won its five games at Philips Arena by an average of 5.4 points. "We've been home for a little while and we've dodged a couple of bullets with some teams."

The Nuggets have won four straight in this series following a 118-117 overtime victory on March 13.

Denver had dropped three in a row at Atlanta before winning 102-87 in its last visit on March 16, 2011.

Horford, Smith lead Hawks past Nuggets 108-104

By CHARLES ODUM
Posted Dec 06 2012 12:01AM

ATLANTA (AP) Josh Smith raised his arms, looked up and let out a roar after coming through with the play that ensured it would be a winning night for his Hawks - and a happy birthday for him.

Smith's steal, jam and free throw with 31 seconds remaining extended Atlanta's lead and the Hawks held on to beat the Denver Nuggets 108-104 on Wednesday night.

Smith had 16 points and 13 rebounds on his 27th birthday. He called his three-point play "icing on the cake."

"I kind of anticipated the play," Smith said of his steal from Ty Lawson. "I saw Corey Brewer coming and I wanted to go to the basket strong."

Brewer was called for a foul. Smith added the free throw for a 106-101 lead, giving the Hawks the ability to withstand a late 3-pointer by Andre Iguodala.

Al Horford led the Hawks with 25 points and 12 rebounds. Lou Williams, who had 16 points, made four free throws in the final minute.

Hawks coach Larry Drew called the win "a gutsy performance" as his team bounced back from Friday's 113-111 loss to Cleveland that snapped a six-game winning streak.

"I'm just happy that we pushed through it," Drew said. "The difference was we kept pushing. We didn't break. We didn't bend."

The double-doubles by Horford and Smith helped give the Hawks a 47-40 rebounding advantage over the Nuggets, who lead the NBA in offensive rebounds and rank second in overall rebounds.

"That was one of the points of emphasis," Horford said. "Coach talked about how good they are on the glass. We took the challenge and as a team we did a good job."

Lawson led Denver with his season-high 32 points. Brewer had 19.

Denver coach George Karl said the Nuggets helped the Hawks with their 20 turnovers and poor rebounding.

"We thought fundamentally rebounding and turnovers were going to be the keys to the game," Karl said. "We just didn't do a good enough job there.

"We gave them way too many extra possessions. In the end it hurt us in a close loss."

The Hawks began the night leading the NBA with 18 turnovers forced per game.

Lawson had four turnovers, including two in the final minute.

"I feel bad for him," Karl said. "He had a great game going. He was the best player on the court for most of the night until the turnovers at the end. He just had a big-time game.

"We need some other guys to jump in and start playing well, too."

Two free throws by Danilo Gallinari with 2:34 remaining gave Denver its first lead of the final period at 98-97. Lawson's 3-pointer gave Denver a 101-99 advantage before Horford hit a tying jumper.

Following a missed jumper by Denver's Kenneth Faried, Williams made two free throws. Smith then delivered the key three-point play.

"We've just got to get better in late-game situations - me included," Lawson said.

"Letting teams get offensive rebounds, putbacks and turnovers, that's what killed us tonight. If we could have controlled that we could have won by at least 15 points."

The Nuggets were without center Kosta Koufos, who remained at the team hotel with the flu. Timofey Mozgov had six points and 13 rebounds in his first start of the season.

The Hawks had first-half success with their big lineup, with Zaza Pachulia at center and Horford shifting from center to power forward. The big lineup usually benefits Horford, who has room for more scoring opportunities away from the basket.

Pachulia also thrived with extended playing time, scoring all 11 of his points in the second quarter as the Hawks took a 55-51 halftime lead.

The Hawks' biggest lead was 73-62 at the end of a 10-0 run in the third period.

Gallinari had 16 points and JaVale McGee had 11 for Denver. Iguodala shot only 2 of 10 for five points, including the late 3-pointer, and a game-high seven turnovers.

Devin Harris had 12 points for Atlanta. Williams led the Hawks with six assists.

NOTES: The Hawks ended a four-game losing streak in the series with their first win over the Nuggets since Nov. 7, 2009. ... Hawks G Kyle Korver was away from the team and with his wife, who is expecting the couple's first child. The team recalled rookie G John Jenkins from its Bakersfield NBA Development League affiliate. Jenkins did not play. ... Lawson and Andre Miller each had seven assists.

Notebook: Hawks 108, Nuggets 104

Matt Winklejohn, for NBA.com
Posted Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:12 AM - Updated Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:12 AM

THE FACTS: Al Horford turned in his third consecutive double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds, and the Hawks broke a 101-all tie in the final minute on the way to a 108-104 win Wednesday over the visiting Nuggets.

Atlanta snapped a four-game losing streak to Denver dating back to Nov. 7, 2009, as Josh Smith added 16 points and 13 rebounds on his 27th birthday and the Hawks (10-5) beat the Nuggets (9-10) at their own game despite a brilliant night by Denver point guard Ty Lawson.

He had a season-high 32 points, hit all five of his 3-pointers and added seven assists and five steals, yet the Hawks beat the Nuggets in key metrics.

Denver entered the game No. 1 in the NBA in offensive rebounding (15.4 per game), No. 1 in second-chance points (18.4 pg) and No. 1 in points in the paint (53.7 pg), but Atlanta won all three categories.

The Hawks had 19 offensive caroms to Denver's 11, out-scored the Nuggets 20-19 on second chances, and carried the paint 56-50.

Atlanta coach Larry Drew started a small lineup, but frequently deployed three bigs at a time and they helped limit Denver forward Kenneth Faried to three offensive boards. Atlanta out-rebounded the Nuggets -- the NBA's No. 2 overall rebounding team -- 47-40.

Denver starters other than Lawson, who was 12-for-16 from the field, shot just 30.3 percent as leading scorer Andre Iguodala scored five points on 2-for-10, Faried was 2-for-8 and Danilo Gallinari was 3-for-10. Corey Brewer scored 19 off the bench.

On the plus side, Denver center Timofey Mozgov grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds in his first start of the season. Kosta Koufos missed the game with flu-like symptoms.

Atlanta's bench was big as center Zaza Pachulia had all 11 of his points and all six of his rebounds in the first half to help the Hawks to a 55-51 lead.

Guard Lou Williams played 20 minutes off the bench in the second half, when he scored 11 of his 16 and registered four of his six assists for the Hawks.

QUOTABLE: "[That] is the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the league, and we made a conscious effort of boxing out. I think after watching that long video of us not boxing out [in Friday's loss to] Cleveland, it kind of paid off tonight. We were able to match their physicality."
-- Josh Smith.

THE STAT: +16 -- The Hawks got of 16 more shots than Denver, going 42-for-95 (44.2 percent) thanks to a plus-seven edge in rebounds and a plus-six edge in turnovers. Atlanta scored 20 points off the Nuggets' 20 turnovers. Denver scored 13 off the Hawks' 14 miscues. Iguodala had seven turnovers.

TURNING POINT: Denver grabbed the lead briefly with an 8-2 run to open the second half with Lawson 3-pointers on the Nuggets' first two possessions.

The Hawks countered to go up by as many as 11, and led until Gallinari made two free throws with 2:34 left in the game, and again when Lawson hit his last trey for a 101-99 Denver edge with 2:00 to go.

Horford hit a jumper for a tie, and soon grabbed the rebound when Faried missed a 17-footer to set up the defining sequence.

Williams drove the left side of the lane with just under a minute left, and Mozgov hammered him.

After Williams made two free throws, the Nuggets were going for another tie when Lawson dribbled the ball off his foot, Josh Smith scooped it up as it rolled toward center court, and raced for a dunk plus a free throw for a 106-101 lead with 31 seconds left in the game.

Denver had six turnovers in the fourth period, three in the last 1:21.

QUOTABLE II: "Tonight, we didn't have a lot of guys with a lot of confidence . . . I feel bad for [Lawson]. He was the best player on the court for most of the night until his two turnovers at the end. He had a big-time game . . . but we need somebody else to jump in and play well, too."
-- Nuggets coach George Karl.

HOT: Smith is averaging 19.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.0 steals over the past three games. . . . Brewer has scored 19 points in back-to-back games, including Monday's Denver win over the Raptors. After shooting 8-for-15 Wednesday, he's shot 17-for-30 in the past two. . . . Denver reserve post man JaVale McGee had his fifth consecutive double-digit scoring game with 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting. He's averaged 11.8 points in that stretch, shooting 65.6 percent (21-for-32). . . . Devin Harris has at least two steals in three straight games after picking off three Wednesday. He's also shot 10-for-15 in the past two games -- both starts. . . . Horford made his only free throw attempt, and has gone 7-for-9 in the past three games. That's significant because he was 1-for-12 in the three games before that. He added four assists and four steals to Wednesday's double-double. . . . Atlanta's DeShawn Stevenson, who started at small forward, shot 3-for-5 from distance and has gone 7-for-11 on 3-pointers in the past two games -- both starts. . . . Lou Williams has scored in double digits in four straight games, averaging 17.3. He's gone 17-for-17 from the free throw line in that time. . . .

NOT: Iguodala is 3-for-19 in the past two games from the field with nine total points. He is Denver's second-leading scorer with a 14.4-point average. Gallinari leads (15.6). . . . Faried is still shooting 54.7 percent for the season, but in the past two games he's 7-for-19. . . . Gallinari is 13-for-33 over the past three games. . . .

GOOD MOVE: Drew's decision to play starting point guard Jeff Teague sparingly in the second half worked. Teague in the first half had four points on 2-for-9 shooting with two assists and two turnovers in 14:41 while struggling to contain Lawson (15 points, five assists in the first half).

Williams subbed in for Teague just 90 seconds into the second half, and although he wasn't always matched up on Lawson (Harris was in that spot more often) and nobody really slowed Ty, Williams had four assists in the second half and kept getting to the free throw line (6-for-6) to offset 1-for-8 shooting while playing 20:12 in the half to 14:17 for Teague and 14:01 for Harris.

ROOKIE REPORT: The Hawks called up guard John Jenkins from Bakersfield of the D-League, but he did not play. In his past two games with the Jam, the rookie from Vanderbilt scored 22 and 29 points.

NOTABLE: Guard-forward Kyle Korver missed his second straight game (back spasms), and would not have played even if his back wasn't an issue. He was at an Atlanta hospital Wednesday as he and his wife are expecting their first child. . . . This kicked off a five-game road trip for Denver, which has played 13 of 19 games on the road already. . . . Atlanta tied a season high with seven players scoring at least nine points. . . . With one blocked shot, Horford tied Cliff Levingston for ninth place (371) in franchise history. . . . The Nuggets are 1-6 when trailing at halftime. . . . Koufos, who started at center in Denver's first 18 games, stayed at the team hotel with flu-like symptons.

UP NEXT: For the Nuggets, Friday @ Pacers, Sunday @ Knicks, Tuesday @ Pistons. For the Hawks, Friday vs. Wizards, Saturday @ Grizzlies, Monday @ Heat.

• Nuggets: Chandler, Koufos
• Hawks: Scott

• Nuggets: --
• Hawks: --

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #9 Derrick Stafford, #35 Kane Fitzgerald, #79 Kevin Scott
• Attendance: 14101
• Duration: 2:22