Denver Nuggets vs Atlanta Hawks Match Player Stats: Jokić’s 40-Point Outburst Leads Denver Back From 23 Down

Blowing a 23-point lead against a healthy MVP candidate is the kind of collapse that lingers in a locker room for weeks. That’s exactly what happened to Atlanta on December 5, and it turned a routine Friday night into one of the wildest finishes of the young season. Below is a complete breakdown of the denver nuggets vs atlanta hawks match player stats, quarter scores, and the numbers that explain how Denver stole a game it had no business winning.

The Lead

Denver and Atlanta met on Friday, December 5, 2025, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, in front of 16,149 fans. The Nuggets left with a 134-133 win, capping a night that saw them trail by as many as 23 points before erupting for a 20-0 run in the fourth quarter. Nikola Jokić poured in 40 points on 13-of-26 shooting, and Jamal Murray added 23 points with 12 assists as Denver improved to 16-6 overall and 10-2 on the road.

Atlanta had control of this one for three quarters. Jalen Johnson became the first Hawks player in the franchise’s play-by-play era to record a triple-double by halftime, finishing the night with 21 points, 18 rebounds, and a career-high 16 assists. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 30 points on efficient shooting, and Kristaps Porziņģis added 25.

None of it was enough. Murray blocked a potential game-tying three from Alexander-Walker in the closing seconds, and Denver ran out the clock after a scramble layup on the other end sealed it.

Match Overview Table

Anyone searching for where to watch Denver Nuggets vs Atlanta Hawks matches going forward should check regional listings, since Hawks home games run through FanDuel Sports Network Southeast while Nuggets road broadcasts air on Altitude Sports, with national NBA League Pass coverage available for out-of-market fans.

Core Match Statistics Overview

These denver nuggets vs atlanta hawks stats show a game that was closer on paper than the eye test suggested during Atlanta’s blowout first half. Both teams shot above 51% from the field and above 43% from three, which is rare in a game with this much volume.

Three-Point Shooting

• Atlanta actually out-attempted Denver from deep 46-37 and made more threes overall (20 to 16), a big reason they built their early cushion.
• Denver’s efficiency caught up late — the Nuggets shot 8-of-12 from three in the fourth quarter alone, the shooting stretch that fueled the comeback.

Free Throw Discipline

• Atlanta shot a blistering 93.8% at the line but only got to the stripe 16 times all game.
• Denver drew nearly double the free throw attempts (30) and converted 24, a quiet edge that mattered as the score tightened in crunch time.

Ball Movement

• Atlanta finished with 35 assists to Denver’s 28, largely driven by Jalen Johnson’s 16-assist triple-double.
• Denver’s turnovers (12) stayed lower than Atlanta’s (14), which limited Atlanta’s transition chances down the stretch.

Fouls and Physicality

• Atlanta committed 25 personal fouls compared to Denver’s 15, repeatedly sending the Nuggets to the line in the second half.
• That foul disparity is a direct explanation for Denver’s free throw advantage and helped keep Denver’s comeback alive possession after possession.

Denver Nuggets vs Atlanta Hawks Timeline: Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter

• Atlanta opened on fire, shooting 76.2% from the field and hitting 8 of 12 threes to build an 18-point lead.
• Onyeka Okongwu and Dyson Daniels combined for 18 points on perfect shooting in the opening period.
• Denver’s offense stalled early, with Jokić shooting just 2-of-11 in the frame as the Hawks’ defense forced tough looks.

Second Quarter

• Jalen Johnson’s playmaking took over, and he reached double-digit assists before halftime while completing his historic triple-double pace.
• Denver settled defensively but still trailed 73-54 at the break, a 19-point halftime deficit.
• Jokić found more rhythm at the line, going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw stripe in the quarter.

Third Quarter

• Denver’s deficit ballooned to 23 points early in the frame before the Nuggets clawed all the way back to tie the game at 87 with 4:50 remaining.
• Jokić exploded for 19 points on 7-of-7 shooting in the quarter, the single biggest scoring burst of the night for either team.
• Atlanta’s offense cooled to 40% shooting as fatigue and foul trouble started creeping into their rotation.

Fourth Quarter

• Denver tied the game again at 106 with 9:41 left, then ripped off a 20-0 run over the next several minutes to seize control at 117-109.
• Cameron Johnson caught fire late, going 3-of-4 from three in the quarter to help finish off the rally.
• Atlanta had a final look to tie the game on a Nickeil Alexander-Walker three, but Jamal Murray blocked the attempt, and Denver survived on the other end.

Denver Nuggets Player Statistics

Jokić was the story of this game from start to finish, shooting 13-of-26 from the field and going a perfect 13-of-15 at the free throw line while adding 9 rebounds and 8 assists. Murray was the closer, scoring 16 of his 23 points after halftime and dishing 12 assists overall, including the game-saving block on Atlanta’s final possession. Hardaway Jr. provided instant offense off the bench, knocking down 4 of 8 threes, while Cameron Johnson delivered his best shooting stretch late, going 4-of-9 from deep with three coming after halftime.

Atlanta Hawks Player Statistics

Jalen Johnson’s line is the headline of the loss, becoming the first Hawks player in the franchise’s tracked play-by-play era to log a triple-double by halftime and finishing with a career-high 16 assists to go with 21 points and 18 rebounds. Alexander-Walker was Atlanta’s most efficient scorer, hitting 10 of 17 shots and 5 of 9 threes for a team-high 30 points, but he shot just 4-of-9 in the second half as Denver tightened its defense. Porziņģis was a steady scoring threat throughout, and Daniels quietly filled the box score with 15 points, 8 assists, and 2 steals in a starting role that expanded with Trae Young out of the lineup entirely.

Statistical Leaders Summary Table

Why Denver Won

Jokić’s Second-Half Takeover

Jokić scored 30 of his 40 points after halftime, shooting an absurd 11-of-13 from the field over the final two quarters. No single Hawks defender had an answer once he found his rhythm attacking the paint and the free throw line.

Bench Efficiency

Denver’s reserves shot a combined 15-of-19 from the field. Bruce Brown went a perfect 4-of-4, Jonas Valančiūnas was 4-of-4, and both players posted a positive plus-minus in limited minutes, giving Denver’s starters rest without losing offensive rhythm.

Free Throw Volume

Denver attempted 30 free throws to Atlanta’s 16, a gap created largely by Atlanta’s 25 personal fouls. That volume let Denver stay within striking distance even during stretches when its field goal shooting lagged.

Fourth-Quarter Defense

After allowing 73 points in the first half, Denver held Atlanta to 30 points in the fourth quarter alone, forcing empty possessions during the exact stretch when the Nuggets needed stops to complete the comeback.

Why Atlanta Lost

Cooling Off After a Hot Start

Atlanta shot 76.2% in the first quarter but dropped to 40% and 47.6% in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. The Hawks never rediscovered the shooting rhythm that built their early lead.

Turnover and Foul Discipline

Atlanta’s 14 turnovers and 25 personal fouls handed Denver extra possessions and free points at the line, offsetting Atlanta’s rebounding and shooting advantages.

Shorthanded Backcourt

With Trae Young out of the lineup, Atlanta leaned heavily on Dyson Daniels and Vít Krejčí to create offense in the second half, and that shot-creation gap showed up as Denver’s defense clamped down late.

Historical Context and Advanced Insights

This was the first meeting of the season between these two clubs, with Denver taking a 1-0 edge in the season series. Fans following denver nuggets vs atlanta hawks discussions online will likely see this game referenced heavily if the two teams meet again later in the year, given how dramatically the result swung in the final six minutes.

On the efficiency side, Denver’s assist-to-field-goal ratio (28 assists on 47 makes, or 59.6%) topped Atlanta’s mark relative to volume once you account for pace, even though Atlanta’s raw assist total (35) was higher. Denver’s true shooting percentage for the game sat at 65.6% compared to Atlanta’s 65.2%, an almost identical mark that reinforces how tight this game actually was beneath the lopsided quarter-by-quarter swings. Jokić’s individual true shooting mark of 61.3% on 40 points, built on 15 free throw attempts, shows how much of Denver’s offense flowed directly through the paint rather than the perimeter in crunch time.

What This Means for Denver

• A ninth straight road win and a 10-2 road record reinforces Denver as one of the league’s most dangerous road teams this season.
• Jokić’s second-half dominance is a reminder that Denver’s ceiling stays sky-high as long as he’s on the floor, even in games where the supporting cast starts slow.
• The win provides confidence heading into a stretch where Denver will need similar fourth-quarter execution against other top-tier opponents.

What This Means for Atlanta

• Blowing a 23-point lead at home is the kind of result that should trigger a hard look at fourth-quarter rotations and closing lineups.
• Atlanta needs more shot creation depth behind Trae Young, since the offense stalled noticeably once Denver’s defense tightened in the second half.
• Discipline around fouls and turnovers has to improve, since 25 fouls and 14 giveaways gave Denver far too many free possessions.

Key Lessons From This Game

• Big leads mean nothing without sustained defensive intensity across all four quarters.
• Elite offensive rebounding and assist totals can still lose out to superstar-level scoring efficiency in crunch time.
• Free throw volume, not just percentage, can decide close games.
• Foul discipline directly compounds into point totals late in games.
• Depth matters more in the fourth quarter than it does in the first.
• A single dominant individual half can completely rewrite a game’s outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Denver Nuggets vs Atlanta Hawks game on December 5, 2025?

The Denver Nuggets won 134-133 on the road at State Farm Arena, completing a comeback from 23 points down.

Who scored the most points in the Denver Nuggets vs Atlanta Hawks last game?

Nikola Jokić led all scorers with 40 points on 13-of-26 shooting, adding 9 rebounds and 8 assists.

What were Jalen Johnson’s stats in this game?

Jalen Johnson finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds, and a career-high 16 assists, becoming the first Hawks player in the team’s play-by-play era to record a triple-double by halftime.

How big was Atlanta’s largest lead in this game?

Atlanta led by as many as 23 points before Denver’s comeback, with the Nuggets tying the game multiple times before finally taking control in the fourth quarter.

Was Trae Young available for the Atlanta Hawks vs Denver Nuggets game on December 5, 2025?

No, Trae Young did not dress for this game, which put extra playmaking responsibility on Dyson Daniels and Vít Krejčí.

Where can fans watch upcoming Denver Nuggets vs Atlanta Hawks matches?

Regional broadcasts run on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast for Hawks games and Altitude Sports for Nuggets games, with NBA League Pass carrying denver nuggets vs atlanta hawks live stream coverage for out-of-market viewers nationally.

Conclusion

Efficiency and a single dominant half from a superstar outweighed a hot shooting start and a historic triple-double performance in this one. Atlanta did almost everything right for three quarters, and it still wasn’t enough once Jokić and Murray took over down the stretch. 

This game is worth revisiting for anyone tracking a denver nuggets vs atlanta hawks prediction for the rematch later this season, since both teams showed exactly what makes them dangerous — and exactly where they’re vulnerable — in one 48-minute swing of a game.