Nuggets at Hawks
The Denver Nuggets saw their season-best seven-game winning streak come to an end in Charlotte and look to start a new streak when they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Denver also had won five consecutive road games before suffering the 113-107 loss to the Hornets on Friday.
The Nuggets are 3-1 as they hit the final stop of their road excursion and will look to rebound from a contest in which they shot 38.6 percent from field, including 8-of-35 from 3-point range. Denver guard Jamal Murray scored 20 points Friday for his fifth 20-point effort in the past six games. Atlanta has lost its past four games by an average of 15 points as it struggles to be competitive. The Hawks have already suffered 15 double-digit defeats and last lost by single digits on Nov. 19 - 127-119 to the Los Angeles Clippers.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Altitude 2 (Denver), FS Southeast (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (17-8): Veteran power forward Paul Millsap suffered a broken toe on his right foot in a fall during the third quarter of Friday's game and it isn't yet known how long he will be sidelined. Millsap was limited to 38 contests last season in his first campaign with Denver due to a wrist injury. "That's an opportunity for somebody else," Nuggets coach Mike Malone told reporters. "And that means somebody else moves into the lineup and somebody else has got an opportunity off the bench."
ABOUT THE HAWKS (5-20): Second-year power forward John Collins has strung together three straight double-doubles for the first time in his career and is averaging 23 points and 12 rebounds during the stretch. He scored a career-best 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting and collected a season-high 14 rebounds in Wednesday's 131-117 loss to the Washington Wizards. Collins is 32-of-46 shooting during the hot streak to raise his season rate to 62.6 percent while averaging 16.9 points and 7.9 rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nuggets pounded the Hawks 138-93 on Nov. 15.
2. Denver SG Gary Harris (hip) is expected to miss his third straight game.
3. Atlanta G Jeremy Lin (back) will sit out versus Denver, F Omari Spellman (hip) will miss his second consecutive contest and C Miles Plumlee (knee) is doubtful.