ATLANTA (AP) John Collins scored a career-high 30 points and reserves Vince Carter and DeAndre’ Bembry fueled a third-quarter rally that helped the Atlanta Hawks beat the Denver Nuggets 106-98 on Saturday night.
Atlanta (6-20) snapped a four-game losing streak. Collins also had 12 rebounds and five assists.
The Hawks lost 138-93 at Denver on Nov. 15, and the Nuggets also controlled Saturday night’s game early on. But they faded in the finale of a five-game trip.
Nikola Jokic had 24 points and 11 rebounds, but Denver (17-9) dropped games on back-to-back nights for the first time all season after sweeping the first three situations. Juancho Hernangomez finished with 17 points and 10 boards.
The Nuggets were coming off a 113-107 loss at Charlotte on Friday night.
Rookie Trae Young scored on a driving lineup with 8:28 to go in the third to give Atlanta a 61-60 lead, and the Hawks increased their lead to 84-72 on a driving layup by Bembry with 58 seconds left in the quarter.
Carter scored 11 of his 13 points in the third, and the Hawks outscored the Nuggets 35-21 to take an 86-77 lead into the fourth.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: F Paul Millsap was held out after he fractured his right big toe in Friday’s loss. High-scoring guards Will Barton (right hip/core) and Gary Harris (right hip) also were out … Mason Plumlee scored six points for Denver but missed the chance to play against his brother Miles, whose sore knee kept him out of action for the Hawks.
Hawks: Backup PG Jeremy Lin was sidelined by a lower back strain. Fs Taurean Prince (left ankle sprain) and Omari Spellman (right hip) also were out.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Return home to play the Grizzlies on Monday.
Hawks: Visit the Mavericks on Wednesday. Atlanta beat Dallas 111-104 on Oct. 24.
