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Anthony and Nuggets face Hawks who may be without Johnson

Dec 12, 2006 - 2:46 PM Denver (11-7) at Atlanta (8-11) 7:00 pm EST

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets have had their problems in Atlanta. The Hawks are dealing with troubles of their own.

Denver travels to Atlanta on Tuesday looking for a rare win against the Hawks, who hope to have their star Joe Johnson back in the fold.

The Nuggets are coming off a 105-90 loss at Dallas in which Anthony was held to 18 points, his second lowest total of the season. J.R. Smith also scored 18 points for Denver, which has lost two of its last three games.

The Nuggets had won 10 of their past 12 after opening the season 0-3. Now they travel to their personal city of horrors, where the Nuggets have lost 15 of 16.

The Nuggets lost to the Hawks last week in Denver 98-96. In that game Anthony scored 24 points, his third lowest effort in 2006-07.

Atlanta needs to right its own ship after suffering a 117-92 defeat at Sacramento on Sunday. Salim Stoudamire scored 26 points for the Hawks, who have lost two straight and three of their last four games.

Atlanta was without Johnson, who suffered a strained right calf in Atlanta's 106-95 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The injury snapped Johnson's NBA-leading streak of 376 consecutive games played, which dated to his 2001-02 rookie season.

The Hawks have won nine of their last 12 meetings vs. the Nuggets.