Nikola Jokic scores a combined 104 points as the Denver Nuggets crush the Hawks

ATLANTA – After a blowout loss that snapped their opponent out of a 16-game losing streak, the only way for redemption for the Nuggets was to end their next opponent’s six-game winning streak – 24 hours later, in a different city.

Nikola Jokic collected another 48 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and three steals, but this time he had help as Denver preserved its three-game road win in the Eastern Conference with a 141-111 victory over the Hawks on Sunday.

“It was the reaction that was needed,” coach Michael Malone said. “It’s not surprising. That’s what I expected from a group that won a lot of games and set the bar very high. For us to go out there and win a first quarter and a first half and not fall behind and bring the defense into the game, that’s outstanding. … We needed a win and we got it.”

Michael Porter Jr. rebounded from an 0-for-5 shooting loss in Washington by diving into the paint with a flurry of dunks and layups. He contributed 26 points on 12 of 17 shots. Christian Braun scored 17 points, eight boards and two steals. Russell Westbrook had 11 assists.

“When Russ is out there with Nikola, he’s just always looking for him,” Malone said. “He’s always trying to find him. And that makes perfect sense to me. You play with the best player in the world. Maybe you want to give him the ball.”

On the receiving end of those totals, with Jamal Murray sidelined for the second straight game (right hamstring inflammation), Jokic had another monster scoring night. He finished the road game between Washington and Atlanta with a total of 104 points, including a pull-up shot from half court 0.2 seconds before the halftime buzzer. It was almost as if he was showing off; He let it go with two seconds left and missed the opportunity to get closer to the 3-point line. No matter – the recovery gave Denver a 71:48 lead and was emblematic of a trend that needed to be reversed.

The Nuggets (12-10) have been a combined 147 points from behind the 3-point line in their last six games. They have attempted exactly 24 outside shots in each of their last four games, well below their 30th-place average of 31 per game. The lack of 3-point volume during this stretch was exacerbated by the worst perimeter defense of the season.

“We took 24 last night. “Jordan Poole scored 20 points alone,” emphasized Malone before the game at State Farm Arena. “And I think it’s: Are we generating the right shots? Do the boys own up to their shot? I think there are a number of factors on offense. But most of all it is defensive. How do we find a way to defend the 3-point line much better than we have been doing? And they got it done in transition. They get it from pick-and-rolls. They do it through drive-and-kick. They get a lot of offensive rebounds. So that’s by far my bigger concern, but not producing enough high-quality looks is definitely an issue too.”