Prediction: Denver Nuggets VS Atlanta Hawks 2025-12-05

Denver Nuggets vs. Atlanta Hawks: A Tale of Two Teams (One Has Trae, the Other Doesn’t)

The Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks are set to collide on December 5, 2025, in a matchup that’s less “title contender vs. also-ran” and more “Swiss Army knife vs. a group project missing half its components.” Let’s break down why the Nuggets are laying -6.5 points like they’re handing out free toblerones at a Swiss watch store.

Parse the Odds: Denver’s Triple-Threat, Atlanta’s “Where Did Everybody Go?”
The Nuggets are a 71% favorite (implied probability via decimal odds of 1.43), which is about the same chance of correctly guessing a stranger’s favorite color on your first try. Their dominance in recent meetings? A perfect 5-0 in their last five against Atlanta, including a franchise-record eight-game road winning streak. Denver’s offense is a nuclear reactor: they’re averaging 125.1 points per game, led by Nikola Jokic (26.5 PPG, 14 RPG, 11.1 APG) and Jamal Murray (25 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.6 APG). Oh, and Murray just dropped 52 points against Indiana, making a career-night more exciting than a surprise birthday party for a cat.

The Hawks? They’re hosting a “Who’s Here?” scavenger hunt. Trae Young (knee), Kristaps Porzingis (illness), and Jalen Johnson (calf) are all questionable or out, leaving them to rely on Nickeil Alexander-Walker (career-high 20.4 PPG) and Onyeka Okongwu. Their defense, ranked 9th in the NBA, might as well be a sieve trying to hold back a tsunami. Atlanta’s home record (4-5) is about as reliable as a Wi-Fi connection during a Zoom meeting.

Digest the News: Injuries, Absences, and One Very Tired Training Staff
Denver’s injury report reads like a “most likely to vanish on vacation” list: Christian Braun (ankle), Aaron Gordon (hamstring), and Julian Strawther (mystery injury) are all out. But Jokic and Murray? They’re here, and they’re hungry. Coach David Adelman called them “unintimidated by crowd noise”—a bold claim considering Atlanta’s arena is in Spain (per the broadcast note).

Atlanta’s woes are comical in their absurdity. Trae Young is out for “re-evaluation” after an MCL sprain, which sounds like a medical version of “I need a nap.” Jalen Johnson, their leading scorer (23.2 PPG), is questionable with a calf injury, which is basketball’s version of “I can’t walk, but I’ll try to shoot.” Without him, the Hawks scored 23 points less in a home loss to the Clippers—proof that their offense is like a phone with a dead battery: functional only in theory.

Humorous Spin: “Jokic’s Triple-Double or Your Money Back”
Nikola Jokic is having a season so historic, even a Swede named Henrik would be jealous. He’s averaging a triple-double (26.5 PPG, 14 RPG, 11.1 APG) and leads the NBA in rebounds and assists. If he logs another one tonight, he’ll make the stat line look like a grocery list: “Oh, and I’ll take a triple-double, a side of humility, and a coupon for next time.”

Jamal Murray’s 52-point explosion? That wasn’t a game—it was a one-man stand-up special called “52 and Out: The Jamal Murray Story.” The Hawks’ defense? They’ll need to invent a new sport to stop him.

As for Atlanta, their reliance on Nickeil Alexander-Walker is like asking a golden retriever to guard a bakery. Sweet, well-meaning, and destined to fail.

Prediction: Nuggets Win, Hawks Cover the Spread in a Parallel Universe
The math checks out: Denver’s offense is a points-per-second machine, and Atlanta’s roster is a “Guess Who?” game where all the chips are missing. Jokic (triple-double), Murray (25+ points), and a Hawks team missing its stars? It’s a recipe for a Denver cover on the -6.5 spread, likely by double digits.

But here’s the twist: If Jalen Johnson is active, the Hawks could eke out the spread. However, with his calf injury and Trae Young’s absence, Atlanta’s best hope is a 238.5-point under (they’ll score fewer than 100, we promise).

Final Verdict: Bet the Nuggets. Unless you enjoy watching a team with three starters out try to beat a hall of fame duo. Even then, bring popcorn.

“Jokic: Because ‘triple-double’ is just Monday for him.” 🏀✨

Created: Dec. 5, 2025, 3:46 p.m. GMT

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