Atlanta closes out an eight game road trip, its longest of the season, tonight with a dust up against the Nuggets in Denver. This evening's East versus West clash is scheduled to tip off at 9:00pm ET at the Pepsi Center. The lastest NBA Odds have Denver listed as a -6 against the spread home favorite; the game total is presently set at 202.
Atlanta, which dropped three in a row 
between the 16th and 23rd, won its second straight game on Sunday with a 90-83 win at Portland. Joe Johnson, the Hawks leading scorer, produced 22 points in the victory, but reserve Jamal Crawford led the team in scoring with 23 points off the bench.
Atlanta hit a meager 42 percent of its shots for the game, but a 24-for-27 effort from the free throw line proved critical in the win. The Hawks defense, which ranks sixth in the league in points per game allowed, also provided a big spark as it held the Trail Blazers to 39 percent field goal shooting and 4-of-21 from long range.
The Hawks, which are fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, closed to within 6.5 games of the Heat in the Southeast Division with Miami's home loss to New York last night.
Denver had a three game win streak snapped its last time out as the aforementioned Blazers scored a come from behind 107-106 overtime victory against the Nuggets at the Rose Garden.
Denver's demise came from a surprising source as the oft injured Brandon Roy came off the bench to key a late Portland rally. Roy, who finished the night with 18 points and five rebounds, helped spoil a huge night for new Nugget Danilo Gallinari. The 22 year old former Knick dropped 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds in just his second with Denver.
The Nuggets return to the Pepsi Center, where they are 24-7 on the year, with a 34-26 record. They currently trail the Thunder by three games in the chase for the Northwest title.
Denver is 3-0 in its last three games hosting the Hawks. The two teams last met in December of 2009 with the Nuggets scoring a 124-104 win at the Pepsi Center.
Hawks vs Nuggets NBA Odds February 28th, 2011:
Atlanta Hawks +6 (-110), Over 202 (-110), +220 (Moneyline)
Denver Nuggets -6 (-110), Under 202 (-110), -260 (Moneyline)
