The Denver Nuggets (15-6) and Atlanta Hawks (13-10) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EST from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga. The game will broadcast live on FDSSE.
The Nuggets are 5.5-point favorites over the Hawks on the spread (Nuggets -5.5), with the over/under set at 238.5 total points. The Nuggets are -230 favorites to win outright on the moneyline, while the Hawks are +190 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Nuggets vs. Hawks predictions and NBA picks for Friday, December 5.
My Nuggets vs Hawks Prediction
- Nuggets vs Hawks pick: Jamal Murray Over 30.5 Points + Assists (-115)
My Nuggets vs Hawks best bet is on Jamal Murray Over 30.5 Points and Assists, with the best price currently available at DraftKings. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Nuggets vs Hawks Odds
| Nuggets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -108 | 238.5 -105o / -115u | -230 |
| Hawks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -112 | 238.5 -105o / -115u | +190 |
Nuggets vs Hawks NBA Preview
This season, the Nuggets have maintained their place among the best in the Western Conference, but how they've done it has been rather interesting.
Usually a difficult team to deal with in the high altitude of Denver, the Nuggets won their first six home games this season. However, they've since lost four in a row at home, three of them against teams below .500.
The Nuggets started 1-2 on the road, but have since won their last eight away from Denver.
Given those trends, it may actually benefit them that tonight's game is on the road as they continue their trip.
On Wednesday, it was Jamal Murray leading the way in a 135-120 win over the Pacers.
He scored a season-high 52 points while draining 10 3-pointers.
It's been well-documented that Murray has never been an All-Star in the loaded Western Conference, but this could be the year that changes. He's averaging 24.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game this season.
By his standards, Nikola Jokić had a ho-hum game against the Pacers with 24 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists.
He didn't secure a triple-double after closing at -180, but he has recorded one in five of his last 10 games. He's averaging 28.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 11.1 assists per game this season.
The Hawks entered Wednesday's game 11-6 without Trae Young, who remains a few weeks away from returning from a knee injury.
Kristaps Porzingis was out once again, and Jalen Johnson was a late scratch.
The result was an abysmal offensive performance, as the Hawks scored 92 points, their fewest in three years, in a 23-point loss to the reeling Clippers.
Still, the Hawks are 9-6 over their last 15 games. They've certainly missed Young's presence on offense, ranking 16th in offensive rating over that stretch, but they've also built a top-five defense.
However, they'll need both Johnson and Porzingis back in the lineup to upset the Nuggets.
Johnson is averaging 23.2 points, 10 rebounds and 7.3 assists, while Porzingis is at 18.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Nuggets vs Hawks Prediction, Betting Analysis
Without knowing the status of Johnson, I will pass on the spread and total here.
However, if the Nuggets do win, as I'm leaning, Murray likely has another big game in support of Jokic. He has scored 23 points in eight of his last 10 games, averaging 27.4 points per game in that span.
He has also had seven assists in seven of those games. While he only had four assists on Wednesday, he more than made up for it with his scoring.
As a result, he has recorded 31 points and assists combined in seven of his last 10 games. He is averaging 34.9 PA in that span, and the Hawks are 25th in points and 24th in assists allowed to point guards this season.
The two-man game between Jokic and Murray has been the Nuggets' bread and butter for years and one of the sources of Jokic's assists.
Jokic has recorded 10 assists in five straight and eight of his last 10 games. He won't be able to throw any lobs to Aaron Gordon tonight, but Peyton Watson is filling in admirably for him.
In the process, he has recorded five rebounds in each of his last eight games.
For the Hawks, Onyeka Okongwu is coming off a rough outing, going 3-for-12 against the Clippers.
However, he is still scoring 16 points per game on 50.2% shooting. He has scored 15 points in each of his last 10 games, and the Nuggets allow 22.2 points per game to centers.
Pick: Jamal Murray Over 30.5 Points + Assists (-115)
Nuggets vs Hawks Parlay Picks
- Jamal Murray 30+ Points and Assists
- Nikola Jokic 10+ Assists
- Peyton Watson 5+ Rebounds
- Onyeka Okongwu 15+ Points
Parlay Odds: +395 via DraftKings
Hawks vs Nuggets Betting Trends
