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Gallinari, Nuggets crush Hawks

Mar 12, 2015 - 4:58 AM Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Danilo Gallinari led seven Nuggets in double figures with 23 points and Denver stunned the Atlanta Hawks 115-102 on Wednesday at Pepsi Center.

Kenneth Faried had 14 points and four blocks in limited minutes while Will Barton gave 16 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench for the Nuggets, who have been clicking under interim head coach Melvin Hunt. They have won four of six since he took over for Brian Shaw, with their last two wins coming by double digits.

"Everything starts with defense for us," said Faried. "When we're playing defense like that, it's kind of hard to beat us, no matter what team you are."

The Nuggets were 1-12 in their last 13 games under Shaw.

Kyle Korver made five of Atlanta's nine 3-pointers and finished with a team- high 18 points in the setback, which would have bordered on embarrassing if not for a dominant fourth quarter.

"We weren't able to play our game," said Paul Millsap. "We weren't able to move the ball, we weren't able to get to the basket like we wanted to. Half of that was them, half of that was us."

The Nuggets were the better team from the opening jump. Gallinari potted consecutive 3s late in the first quarter, Jameer Nelson hit from deep with eight seconds to play and the hosts took a 31-22 lead into the second.

Atlanta's deficit grew, reaching 24 points late in the second following a Gallinari free throw, and 33 on a Nelson jumper late in the third.

Denver shot 60.7 percent as a team through three quarters and took a 98-68 lead into the fourth.

The Hawks won the final quarter, 34-17, but still fell by double digits.

Game Notes

The Nuggets have won eight straight home meetings with Atlanta ... Nelson had 13 points, Randy Foye scored 11 and Ty Lawson handed out a game-high nine assists for Denver ... Denver shot 13-for-31 from 3-point range ... Both teams scored 34 points in the paint.