Thursday, December 24, 2009

Nuggets 124 Hawks 104

Boxscore



Team Poss Off Eff eFG% FT Rate OR% TO%
ATL
94.2
1.104
53.2 25.3
14.6 15.9
DEN
94.2 1.316 61.7
14.4
22.7
8.5

Watching this game, 14 hours after the fact, in full knowledge of the final score, while suffering Scott Hastings' morose sub-Tommy Heinsohn color commentary might color my impressions of the game. There's nothing good about losing by 20 points to a Nugget team missing Chauncey Billups* but the win, large as it was, only pulled Denver within 5 points of the Hawks on the season. Perhaps the length of my journey yesterday has me sympathetic for anyone on the road right now, but I tend to agree with Joe Johnson:
"We just kind of ran out of energy. We didn't have the intensity that we normally have."
6 offensive rebounds in 41 opportunities, 8 forced turnovers, and 4 fast break points attest to the lifelessness of the Hawks. As did the poor (and somewhat misguided) defensive rotations.

Which is to say I also agree with
Mike Woodson:
"Our defense was just awful tonight."
But, as my contribution** to today's holiday edition of the Daily Dime suggests, that awfulness has as much to do with the team's inherent defensive limitations as one night's fatigue.

*Credit to the Nuggets for drafting Ty Lawson to back Billups up.

**
Filed before last night's consistently poor (63 points allowed in the first half, 61 points allowed in the second half; at least 29 points allowed in each quarter) defensive performance.

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