Can The Nuggets Turn It Around When The Hawks Come To Town?
If the Atlanta Hawks were looking for a true test of just how good they really are, it would seem like their current six game road trip that has them facing 4 of the top ten teams in the league would be the perfect opportunity. They haven’t responded well.
After opening up the trip with a win over the hapless Pistons, the Hawks have dropped 3 of 4 SU and 4 in a row ATS. Worse, with the three losses coming against the Lakers, Jazz and Trailblazers, Atlanta still has yet to beat a team with a winning record anywhere other than on its home floor since December 12th. That was 75 days ago! And for those of you keeping score at home, the Hawks are just 3-11 on the road all season vs. teams that are above .500.
Speaking of teams that are above .500, the Denver Nuggets come into tonight’s game losers of three straight including their worst defeat in 11 years (114-76 to the Celtics).
The good news for the Nuggets though is that they are 6-0 SU (4-2 ATS) at home following a home loss and 3-0 (3-0 ATS) against teams outside the top 5 following 2 straight overall losses. The bad news is that they’ll be without Nene tonight as he continues to nurse a bruised right knee. For an Atlanta team that has been out rebounded by 11 a game on their current road trip including an embarrassing 74-47 deficit in Los Angeles, that might be the best news they’ve heard all week.
For Denver, the dud against Boston was somewhat expected. Aside from the fact that they were facing the defending world champions, they were playing the second game of a brutal back to back that had them coming in from Milwaukee at the end of a seven game road trip.
With a day off to rest, a 38 point blowout loss still fresh in their minds and a struggling Hawks team coming to town, there’s no reason that Carmelo and Co. shouldn’t get back to resembling one of the West’s top teams.
