Nuggets 100, Hawks 90
Kenyon Martin scored 10 of his 14 points in the third quarter and added 11 rebounds, and reserve J.R. Smith took over in the fourth as the Denver Nuggets posted a 100-90 victory over the road-weary Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
Smith scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth, and Raymond Felton scored 10 of his 16 in the final 12 minutes as the Nuggets (35-26) outscored the Hawks 29-20 and improved to 3-1 since trading Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks.
Al Horford had 21 points and 16 rebounds for the Hawks (36-24), who completed a 3-4 road trip which included three games in the last four days. Atlanta shot 40 percent, including 2 of 19 from 3-point range.
Martin helped Denver turn a one-point halftime deficit into a 71-70 lead heading into the fourth. Smith capped an 8-0 Nuggets run in the fourth with a 3-pointer from the left wing that provided an 81-74 edge with just under eight minutes left.
Smith added two free throws with 5:33 left and fed Nene for a dunk 30 seconds later to restore an eight-point bulge.
Denver played without Danilo Gallinari, who has a sprained right toe, while Atlanta played without recently acquired point guard Kirk Hinrich, who has a calf injury.