The Atlanta Hawks seek a sixth straight win when the weary Denver Nuggets visit Sunday. The Hawks have been one of the better teams in the league of late, winning 11 of their past 15 after starting the season 1-2. The Nuggets are also playing better in recent weeks, winning seven of 10 since a 2-7 start.
The Hawks, who are 8-2 in their own building, return home after consecutive road wins at Miami and Brooklyn. DeMarre Carroll scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half as Atlanta took control early and eased past the Nets 98-75 on Friday. The Nuggets, playing the middle of a quick three-game road trip in four days, have dropped the two straight after Friday's 119-89 pasting by Washington.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT DENVER (9-10): Wilson Chandler scored 20 points and Ty Lawson added 14 and 10 assists in the loss to the Wizards. "We got killed on the boards. We got more than doubled up on the assists," Denver coach Brian Shaw said. "Turned the ball over 19 times for 21 points. Only shot 37 percent from the field. Every kind of way that they could beat us, they beat us tonight," The Nuggets, who have four players averaging more than six rebounds, will have to come up with a better effort and take advantage of the poor-rebounding Hawks, who rank 28th in the NBA, if they want to stay close. Lawson leads the team in scoring (16.5) and assists (10.3) and is the only player in the NBA with those averages.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (12-6): Atlanta held Brooklyn to 37.5 percent shooting, including 3-of-18 from beyond the arc, and forced 19 turnovers. Point guard Jeff Teague is playing at an all-star level, averaging a career-best 17.8 points and 7.1 assists while shooting career highs from the field (48.9 percent) and behind the arc (42.2). All five Hawks starters score in double figures and sharp-shooter Kyle Korver is scorching the nets again this season from 3-point range, shooting 56.4 percent.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Teague's backup, Dennis Schroder, is averaging 9.5 points on 54 percent shooting and three assists in 17.4 minutes.
2. F Paul Millsap (eight), C Al Horford (6.1) and Carroll (5.2) are the only Hawks players averaging over five rebounds.
3. Nuggets F Danilo Gallinari is struggling to round into form after knee surgery, shooting just 35 percent from the floor in 18.6 minutes.