Game ID: 22500537
Atlanta Hawks @ Denver Nuggets
Friday, January 9, 2026 at 9:00 PM ET
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
DEN 28 22 25 12 87ATL 30 28 16 36 110
ATL @ DEN ScoutingATL @ DEN Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
DEN availability going into 1/02 · 1 day's restOUT Braun missed 22 since 11/15, out tonight
OUT Johnson missed 4 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Gordon missed 18 since 11/22, out tonight
NEW Hardaway Jr. 26 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 22 to 34 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 1/04 · 1 day's restOUT Jokić missed 2 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Braun missed 23 since 11/15, returns tonight: 24 min (76% of 32)
OUT Johnson missed 5 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Gordon missed 19 since 11/22, returns tonight: 21 min (75% of 28)
NEW Watson 30 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Hardaway Jr. 26 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 22 to 37 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 1/05 · back-to-backOUT Jokić missed 3 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Johnson missed 6 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Valančiūnas missed 2 since 1/02, out tonight
BACK Braun back 1/04 after 23, 24 min since (76% of 32)
BACK Gordon back 1/04 after 19, 21 min since (75% of 28)
NEW Jones 22 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Nnaji 12 to 17 min over the last 3
DEN availability going into 1/07 · 1 day's restOUT Jokić missed 4 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Johnson missed 7 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Valančiūnas missed 3 since 1/02, out tonight
BACK Braun back 1/04 after 23, 24 min since (76% of 32)
BACK Gordon back 1/04 after 19, 21 min since (75% of 28)
NEW Watson 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 22 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Pickett 16 to 22 min over the last 5
NEW Nnaji 12 to 21 min over the last 4
DEN availability going into 1/09 · 1 day's restOUT Jokić missed 5 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Johnson missed 8 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Valančiūnas missed 4 since 1/02, out tonight
BACK Braun back 1/04 after 23, 27 min since (85% of 32)
BACK Gordon back 1/04 after 19, 22 min since (79% of 28)
NEW Watson 30 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 22 to 31 min over the last 5
NEW Pickett 16 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW Nnaji 12 to 25 min over the last 4
DEN availability going into 1/11 · 1 day's restOUT Jokić missed 6 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Johnson missed 9 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Valančiūnas missed 5 since 1/02, out tonight
BACK Braun back 1/04 after 23, 26 min since (83% of 32)
BACK Gordon back 1/04 after 19, 23 min since (82% of 28)
NEW Watson 30 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Jones 22 to 29 min over the last 4
NEW Pickett 16 to 26 min over the last 5
NEW Nnaji 12 to 24 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 1/13 · 1 day's restOUT Murray missed 2 since 1/09, returns tonight: 37 min (105% of 36)
OUT Jokić missed 7 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Johnson missed 10 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Valančiūnas missed 6 since 1/02, out tonight
BACK Braun back 1/04 after 23, 26 min since (83% of 32)
BACK Gordon back 1/04 after 19, 25 min since (90% of 28)
NEW Watson 30 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Pickett 16 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Nnaji 12 to 25 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 1/14 · back-to-backOUT Jokić missed 8 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Braun missed 2 since 1/11, out tonight
OUT Johnson missed 11 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Valančiūnas missed 7 since 1/02, out tonight
BACK Murray back 1/13 after 2, 37 min since (105% of 36)
NEW Watson 30 to 39 min over the last 5
NEW Pickett 16 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Nnaji 12 to 26 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 1/17 · 2 days' restOUT Jokić missed 9 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Braun missed 3 since 1/11, out tonight
OUT Johnson missed 12 since 12/25, out tonight
OUT Strawther missed 2 since 1/13, returns tonight: 6 min (39% of 15)
OUT Valančiūnas missed 8 since 1/02, out tonight
BACK Murray back 1/13 after 2, 38 min since (106% of 36)
NEW Watson 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Pickett 16 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Nnaji 12 to 23 min over the last 5
ATL availability going into 1/02 · 1 day's restOUT Young missed 2 since 12/29, out tonight
BACK Porziņģis back 12/31 after 10, 17 min since (71% of 24)
NEW Newell 11 to 17 min over the last 5
ATL availability going into 1/03 · back-to-backOUT Young missed 3 since 12/29, not on tonight's roster
BACK Porziņģis back 12/31 after 10, 17 min since (71% of 24)
ATL availability going into 1/05 · 1 day's restBACK Porziņģis back 12/31 after 10, 17 min since (71% of 24)
ATL availability going into 1/07 · 1 day's restBACK Porziņģis back 12/31 after 10, 18 min since (75% of 24)
NEW Krejčí 22 to 28 min over the last 5
ATL availability going into 1/09 · 1 day's restBACK Porziņģis back 12/31 after 10, 19 min since (79% of 24)
NEW Risacher 22 to 27 min over the last 5
ATL availability going into 1/11 · 1 day's restNEW Risacher 22 to 27 min over the last 4
ATL availability going into 1/13 · 1 day's restOUT Risacher missed 2 since 1/09, out tonight
ATL availability going into 1/15 · 1 day's restOUT Risacher missed 3 since 1/09, out tonight
NEW Gueye 15 to 20 min over the last 5
ATL availability going into 1/17 · 1 day's restOUT Risacher missed 4 since 1/09, out tonight
NEW Gueye 15 to 24 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 115, shooting 46 percent and 39 from three, 25 free throws a game; Murray at 26 and Watson at 24 a game. It has lost the glass by 11 a night. Without Jokić (5 straight), Johnson (8 straight). One day's rest. Atlanta comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Johnson at 23 and Alexander-Walker at 19 a game. One day's rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Atlanta has been minus-1 a night and Denver minus-11 and the turnovers, Atlanta giving it away 14 times a game to Denver's 10. Call it Denver 118, Atlanta 115, Atlanta keeping it close.
1/02 @ CLE 108-113 — DEN notes
DEN lost 108-113. DEN took 8 more shots (94 to 86), but shot 43% to CLE's 50%, 17 of 47 from three, and got to the line 13 times to CLE's 19. DEN turned it over 8 times to CLE's 16. The glass went 32-55 against them. Murray led with 34 (12 of 28, 6 of 12 from three); Watson added 21, Hardaway Jr. 15. Q3 was theirs, 38-26, turning a 3-point deficit into a 9-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 87-70 against them. They led by as many as 11. Hardaway Jr.'s -15 in 28 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/04 @ BKN 115-127 — DEN notes
DEN lost 115-127. DEN shot 48% (41 of 85) to BKN's 51%, 11 of 31 from three, and got to the line 28 times to BKN's 37. The glass went 33-44 against them. Murray led with 27 (11 of 23, 1 of 7 from three); Hardaway Jr. added 26, Watson 23. Q4 was theirs, 31-27, the deficit cut from 16 to 12, but the other 3 periods went 100-84 against them. Braun's -23 in 24 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/05 @ PHI 125-124 — DEN notes
DEN won 125-124 in 1 overtime. DEN shot 53% (43 of 81) to PHI's 47%, 18 of 37 from three, and went to the line 28 times to PHI's 19 — 21 points from the stripe to their 15. Pickett led with 29 (11 of 20, 7 of 11 from three); Watson added 24, Nnaji 21. The hinge was Q4, 33-27: DEN came in trailing by 6 and left it level.
1/07 @ BOS 114-110 — DEN notes
DEN won 114-110. DEN shot 45% (39 of 87) to BOS's 45%, 20 of 44 from three, and went to the line 24 times to BOS's 15 — 16 points from the stripe to their 9. DEN turned it over 7 times to BOS's 14. The glass went 39-53 against them. Watson led with 30 (10 of 15, 6 of 7 from three, 4 of 8 at the line); Murray added 22, Hardaway Jr. 14. The hinge was Q4, 35-28: DEN came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 4.
1/09 vs ATL 87-110 — DEN notes
DEN lost 87-110. DEN shot 42% (30 of 72) to ATL's 49%, 11 of 32 from three, and went to the line 20 times to ATL's 4 — 16 points from the stripe to their 2. DEN turned it over 19 times to ATL's 6, and ATL turned those into 14 steals. Watson led with 25 (9 of 19, 2 of 4 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Gordon added 14, Nnaji 12. Q3 was theirs, 25-16, turning a 8-point deficit into a 1-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 94-62 against them. Nnaji's -24 in 21 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/11 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 117, shooting 46 percent and 40 from three, 23 free throws a game; Murray at 28 and Watson at 25 a game. It has lost the glass by 10 a night. Without Jokić (6 straight), Johnson (9 straight). One day's rest. Milwaukee comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 21 free throws a game; Gia. Antetokounmpo at 31 and Porter Jr. at 18 a game. Without Prince (30 straight), Sims (3 straight), Nance (7 straight). One day's rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Milwaukee has been plus-1 a night and Denver minus-10 and the defense, Milwaukee allowing 111 a night to Denver's 117. Call it Denver 116, Milwaukee 113, Milwaukee keeping it close.
1/13 @ NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 118, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 18 free throws a game; Murphy III at 31 and Williamson at 20 a game. Without Bey (6 straight), Jones (3 straight), Murray (11 straight). One day's rest. Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 115, shooting 46 percent and 41 from three, 26 free throws a game; Watson at 24 and Hardaway Jr. at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Murray (2 straight), Jokić (7 straight), Johnson (10 straight). One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, New Orleans giving it away 18 times a game to Denver's 12 and the line, where Denver takes 26 free throws a game to New Orleans's 18. Call it New Orleans 117, Denver 116, Denver keeping it close.
1/14 @ DAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Dallas comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 110, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 19 free throws a game; Davis at 22 and Flagg at 19 a game. Without Washington (4 straight), Williams (2 straight). One day's rest. Denver comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 113, shooting 46 percent and 42 from three, 27 free throws a game; Watson at 26 and Hardaway Jr. at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Jokić (8 straight), Braun (2 straight), Johnson (11 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Dallas wins, and the game turns on the line, where Denver takes 27 free throws a game to Dallas's 19 and the glass, where Dallas has been minus-1 a night and Denver minus-6. Call it Dallas 115, Denver 112, Denver keeping it close.
1/17 vs WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 110, shooting 45 percent and 41 from three, 26 free throws a game; Murray at 30 and Watson at 25 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Jokić (9 straight), Braun (3 straight), Johnson (12 straight). 2 days' rest. Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 124, shooting 45 percent and 31 from three, 20 free throws a game; Johnson at 16 and George at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Cooper (22 straight), Whitmore (19 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the arc, Denver at 41 percent from three to Washington's 31 and the turnovers, Washington giving it away 17 times a game to Denver's 10. Call it Denver 122, Washington 109, Denver by 13.
1/02 @ NYK 111-99 — ATL notes
ATL won 111-99. ATL shot 48% (42 of 88) to NYK's 37%, 12 of 36 from three. Alexander-Walker led with 23 (9 of 20, 3 of 10 from three); Okongwu added 23, Johnson 18. The hinge was Q3, 34-23: a lead of 13 became 24. Krejčí was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
1/03 @ TOR 117-134 — ATL notes
ATL lost 117-134. ATL shot 46% (42 of 91) to TOR's 53%, 17 of 39 from three, and got to the line 19 times to TOR's 26. The glass went 36-48 against them. Alexander-Walker led with 31 (10 of 19, 6 of 11 from three); Johnson added 30, Daniels 20. Q3 was theirs, 36-30, the deficit cut from 7 to 1, but the other 3 periods went 104-81 against them. Alexander-Walker's -16 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/05 @ TOR 100-118 — ATL notes
ATL lost 100-118. ATL shot 39% (35 of 89) to TOR's 52%, 12 of 34 from three. Okongwu led with 17 (7 of 13, 2 of 3 from three); Risacher added 16, Alexander-Walker 14. Q3 was theirs, 24-25, but the other 3 periods went 93-76 against them. Johnson's -27 in 37 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/07 vs NOP 117-100 — ATL notes
ATL won 117-100. ATL shot 46% (44 of 95) to NOP's 44%, 18 of 47 from three, and got to the line 17 times to NOP's 25. Risacher led with 25 (8 of 13, 7 of 9 from three); Johnson added 19, Alexander-Walker 17. The hinge was Q1, 37-26: from level to 11 ahead, and the lead reached 25. Gueye was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
1/09 @ DEN 110-87 — ATL notes
ATL won 110-87. ATL shot 49% (46 of 94) to DEN's 42%, 16 of 43 from three, and got to the line 4 times to DEN's 20. ATL turned it over 6 times to DEN's 19. Johnson led with 29 (12 of 18, 5 of 6 from three); Alexander-Walker added 22, Daniels 17. The hinge was Q4, 36-12: ATL came in trailing by 1 and left it ahead by 23, and the lead reached 26. Okongwu was the night's best plus/minus at +32.
1/11 @ GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Golden State comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 113, shooting 45 percent and 36 from three, 21 free throws a game; Ste. Curry at 29 and Butler III at 19 a game. Without Kuminga (11 straight). One day's rest. Atlanta comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 108, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 17 free throws a game; Johnson at 22 and Alexander-Walker at 21 a game. One day's rest.
So: Golden State wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Golden State 115, Atlanta 113, Atlanta keeping it close.
1/13 @ LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 30 from three, 25 free throws a game; Dončić at 34 and James at 26 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Reaves (8 straight), Hachimura (7 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Atlanta comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 110, shooting 46 percent and 39 from three, 17 free throws a game; Johnson at 23 and Alexander-Walker at 22 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Risacher (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Atlanta wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Atlanta at 39 percent from three to the Lakers' 30 and the line, where the Lakers take 25 free throws a game to Atlanta's 17. Call it Atlanta 115, the Lakers 113, the Lakers keeping it close.
1/15 @ POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Portland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 113, shooting 46 percent and 33 from three, 22 free throws a game; Avdija at 30 and Sharpe at 22 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Grant (14 straight), Henderson (41 straight), Murray (4 straight). One day's rest. Atlanta comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 35 from three, 17 free throws a game; Alexander-Walker at 21 and Johnson at 19 a game. Without Risacher (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Portland wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Portland giving it away 15 times a game to Atlanta's 10 and the line, where Portland takes 22 free throws a game to Atlanta's 17. Call it Portland 116, Atlanta 115, Atlanta keeping it close.
1/17 vs BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Atlanta comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 17 free throws a game; Alexander-Walker at 20 and Johnson at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Risacher (4 straight). One day's rest. Boston comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 109, shooting 46 percent and 36 from three, 14 free throws a game; Brown at 28 and Simons at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Minott (6 straight). One day's rest.
So: Atlanta wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Boston has been plus-8 a night and Atlanta minus-5. Call it Atlanta 114, Boston 113, Boston keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
ATLAN A. Newell
DD D. Daniels
JJ J. Johnson
KW K. Wallace
KR Krejci
LK L. Kennard
MG M. Gueye
NA N. Alexander-Walker
OO O. Okongwu
VK V. Krejčí
DENAG A. Gordon
BB B. Brown
CB C. Braun
DH D. Holmes II
HT H. Tyson
JP J. Pickett
JS J. Strawther
PW P. Watson
TH T. Hardaway Jr.
ZN Z. Nnaji
ATL/DEN the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Dyson Daniels has a triple-double and Hawks use big fourth quarter to beat Nuggets 110-87
DENVER -- — Dyson Daniels had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Atlanta Hawks used a big fourth quarter to beat the Denver Nuggets 110-87 on Friday night in their first game since trading Trae Young .
Jalen Johnson scored 29 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 22 for Atlanta, which outscored Denver 36-12 in the final 12 minutes to pull away.
Both teams were dealing with significant absences.
In addition to Nikola Jokic (hyperextended left knee) and Jonas Valanciunas (calf) remaining sidelined, Jamal Murray (ankle) and Spencer Jones (ankle) were also sidelined for Denver. Murray, who had a career-high 17 assists in the win at Boston on Wednesday night, has missed two of the last four games.
The injury-ravaged Nuggets couldn’t recapture the magic of their improbable wins at Philadelphia and the Celtics to end their seven-game road trip. Peyton Watson led Denver with 25 points and Aaron Gordon scored 14 off the bench in his third game back after missing 19 with a hamstring injury.
Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles tendon) did not dress for Atlanta and CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert have yet to join the team since being acquired in the trade that sent Young to Washington.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder addressed the trade before the game, saying of Young “we appreciate what he gave and did for our group, for the team, for the community. Wish him his family all the very best, his new journey in Washington.”
Atlanta led by as many as 11 in the first half and eight late in the third when the Nuggets went on a 14-2 run to take a four-point lead. The Hawks responded with 10 straight points and a 23-3 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to lead 94-78.
Up next Hawks: Continue their four-game road trip at Golden State on Sunday night.