The Denver Nuggets are on a roll. They won their third straight game on Wednesday night to ring in the New Year. The Atlanta Hawks kept pace with the Nuggets for one half, but a huge third quarter left no doubt as to the victor. Nikola Jokic gets yet another triple double and seven Nuggets score in double figures in a game that ended up being a complete laugher. Denver wins big 139-120.

Jokic led the offense to start the game, first diming up Michael Porter Jr., then getting an and-one. Atlanta kept pace by knocking down threes but Denver was scoring with ease. They went on a 7-0 run but stalled out after that. Atlanta closed back in behind Trae Young and trailed by a basket halfway through the quarter. Jokic kept Denver’s offense humming. With the bench, including Jalen Pickett, checking in, the Nuggets held a small lead. Julian Strawther got a couple of buckets but Atlanta was able to get points as well so Denver couldn’t pull away. Jokic continued to dominate, and led a strong close to the quarter. After one Denver led 40-33.

The Nuggets bench group kept up the scoring but also didn’t play a ton of defense which led to a fast paced, high scoring start to the second quarter. The Hawks started hitting threes (including a four point play) and Denver’s lead was dwindling. DeAndre Jordan had a solid shift and provided some paint offense when the Nuggets needed a bucket but the Hawks kept knocking down outside shots. De’Andre Hunter led a run for Atlanta and they eventually took the lead at the six minute mark. Both teams went on mini runs after that. Jokic was back in and things started clicking again for the Nuggets. The game stayed close and fast paced down the stretch, Joker nearly had a triple double in the first half and Denver went to the locker room up 74-71.

The second half opened pretty much the same way the first half went. Both teams piled up the points but the Nuggets had a little more firepower with Young being the only one producing for the Hawks. Denver finally started to get their focus on defense and built a lead. Porter and Christian Braun led the offense and halfway through the quarter Denver was up double digits. The Nuggets kept pushing, Atlanta started looking disinterested and it looked like the route was on. Denver pushed the lead up to twenty with a few minutes left in the third and kept running. Peyton Watson finished a lob from Braun with a reverse jam to pop the top on Ball Arena and the Hawks kept settling for jump shots. Denver ended up outscoring the Hawks by seventeen in the quarter and headed to the fourth leading 115-95.

Murray led the bench to open the fourth. Atlanta kept Denver from making the lead bigger but the Nuggets still found enough offense to keep their advantage above twenty. The offenses started to slow down with the game feeling like it was already in hand. Both teams took a lot of jump shots without a lot of movement. The Hawks knocked down a couple threes but looked resigned to chalk this one up to a loss. With Denver still up twenty plus and under four minutes to go the teams emptied out their benches. Not much of note from there except that Pickett continued to string together quality minutes. The deep bench closed it out and Denver blows out the Hawks again. Final score 139-120.