After having a fiery start to the season, the Denver Nuggets have taken a slight step back lately. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic have been trying their best to fight through the odds. The defending champions are coming three consecutive losses at the moment and have dropped to the fourth seed in the Western Conference. Injuries have played a role in their not-so-subtle slump but they will regroup soon.
Hittin’ the road pic.twitter.com/aBl5z9mIlb
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 10, 2023
Their opponents for tonight will be the Atlanta Hawks. This team hasn’t been able to maintain a winning pace since forever. Trae Young had a bit of a rocky start but has since worked his way back into form. The Hawks took a beating over the last couple of days losing four out of their five recent matchups. They are 9th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 9 wins and 12 losses. Only time will tell how well the Hawks can recover from their slump as they move past In-Season Tournament pressure.
Jamal Murray is probable for the Hawks vs. Nuggets game
A couple of weeks ago, Jamal Murray injured his ankle and it seemed like he was going to miss multiple games. After missing out on action through November, Murray has been in and out of the lineup as he still recovers from the injury. But he is listed as probable against the Hawks. Jay Huff, a deep rotational center on the Nuggets roster is listed as day-to-day following a rib injury. Vlatko Cancar remains out indefinitely.
Two important Hawks players, De’Andre Hunter and Jalen Johnson will be sidelined. Hunter is suffering from right quadriceps tendon soreness and the Hawks are taking precautions before allowing him to play. Johnson will be re-evaluated after three to four weeks after being diagnosed with a left distal radius fracture. Mouhamed Gueye (stress fracture in his lower back) will be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks. Kobe Bufkin is mostly out until the end of January.
45 points, 14 assists and…
The game-saving drawn charge with 2.7 seconds remaining!
What a game from Trae Young 👏 https://t.co/DPb3TOlqaV pic.twitter.com/NLcdWZxQ1f
— NBA (@NBA) December 1, 2023
Atlanta Hawks Injury Report:
- De’Andre Hunter (Questionable)
- Jalen Johnson (Out)
- Mouhamed Gueye (Out)
- Kobe Bufkin (Out)
Atlanta Hawks Expected Lineup:
- Trae Young
- Dejounte Murray
- Wesley Matthews
- Saddiq Bey
- Clint Capela
Denver Nuggets Injury Report:
- Jamal Murray (Probable)
- Jay Huff (Out)
- Vlatko Cancar (Out)
Denver Nuggets Expected Lineup:
- Reggie Jackson
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- Michael Porter Jr.
- Aaron Gordon
- Nikola Jokic
Can the Nuggets win against the Hawks if Jamal Murray is sidelined?
The easiest answer to this question is yes. The Nuggets have far more better talent on their roster than the Hawks. Not to mention, Nikola Jokic is still dominating the league with his incredible scoring capacity and facilitating. Jokic is averaging 28.4 points, 13 rebounds, and 9.6 assists per game. Murray hasn’t been performing in full form especially since he is capable of putting up at least 25 points per game. The Nuggets’ third through fifth options are also extremely skillful.
That’s just what he does. pic.twitter.com/YEaAjGuh1G
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 3, 2023
The Hawks only have Young to rely on at the moment. He is currently averaging 27.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game. Dejounte Murray may have to up his game to help the Hawks yield better results. Averaging 20 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game is great, but not enough in their case. The Hawks would have to work harder in defending the paint with Jokic possibly waiting to attack the rim. But the Nuggets have better chances of winning.