DENVER (AP) — 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.
Hawks: Continue their four-game road trip at Golden State on Sunday night.
Nuggets: Host Milwaukee on Sunday night.
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