Denver Nuggets vs Atlanta Hawks Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24

At 6:00 ET, the Denver Nuggets will travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks at State Farm Arena. The Nuggets are currently 11-10 and have dropped their last two games, while the Hawks are 13-11 and have won six straight. Atlanta is favored by 3.5 points.

This non-conference matchup will be played in Atlanta and can be seen on ALT. The over/under line for this game is 240.5 points.

DENVER NUGGETS VS ATLANTA HAWKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Atlanta Hawks -3.5

This game will be played at State Farm Arena at 6:00 ET on Sunday, December 8th.

WHY BET THE ATLANTA HAWKS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 138-121 in favor of the Hawks.
• Our projections have Trae Young finishing with 21 points, 3 rebounds and 11 assists.
• From the field, we have the Hawks finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.4% and knocking down 16 threes.

Will the Denver Defense Show Up on the Road?

The Nuggets dropped to 11-10 on the season after a 122-113 road loss to the Wizards on Saturday. Denver, who entered the game as 12-point favorites, failed to cover the spread.

Washington took control early, outscoring Denver 69-57 in the first half. The Nuggets fought back in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to 99-93, but were held to just 20 points in the fourth. The game’s total of 235 points narrowly went over the 234.5-point line.

Nikola Jokić was the standout performer for the Nuggets in their loss to the Wizards, scoring 56 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists. He shot 57.9% from the field and hit 3 three-pointers at a 60% rate. Julian Strawther added 18 points, and Christian Braun contributed 14.

The Nuggets struggled from beyond the arc, making just 5 three-pointers at a 20.8% clip. Overall, they shot 48.9% from the field. Jokić was particularly dominant in the 3rd quarter, scoring 23 points.

Defensively, the Nuggets struggled early, giving up 36 points in the 1st quarter and 33 in the 2nd. They allowed 30 points in the 3rd before tightening up in the 4th, where they gave up 23 points. Overall, they allowed the Wizards to shoot 48% from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Nuggets allowed 16 threes on 39% shooting. They sent the Wizards to the line 22 times, where they made 16 free throws. Denver finished with 32 defensive rebounds but gave up 15 offensive boards. They also recorded 11 steals and 6 blocks.

Will Atlanta Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?

The Hawks improved to 13-11 on the season with a narrow 134-132 win over the Lakers on Friday. Atlanta, playing at home, was favored by 4 points but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total of 266 points exceeded the O/U line of 234.5 by 31.5 points.

Atlanta overcame a 13-0 Lakers run that turned a 67-66 lead into a 79-67 deficit. They clawed back, outscoring the Lakers 25-22 in the 4th quarter to seal the win.

The Hawks shot 50% from the field and knocked down 17 threes at a 42.5% clip in their 134-132 win over the Lakers. Trae Young led the way with 31 points and 20 assists, hitting 5 threes despite shooting just 36% overall.

De’Andre Hunter also hit 5 threes, shooting 71.4% from deep and finishing with 26 points. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 20 points, connecting on 4 threes at 44.4% efficiency.

Even though the Hawks gave up 132 points on 51% shooting from the field, including 16 threes at a 45% clip, they managed to hold on for the win. Atlanta struggled defensively in the 2nd quarter, allowing 35 points, but tightened things up in the 4th, giving up just 22 points.

The Hawks sent the Lakers to the line 16 times, where they made 14 free throws. Atlanta controlled the boards, allowing only 6 offensive rebounds, and added 10 steals and 5 blocks.