Hawks vs. Nuggets prediction: Atlanta favored to win Friday's NBA matchup [1/9/2026]

The Denver Nuggets will face the Atlanta Hawks in NBA action at Ball Arena on Friday, starting at 9:00 PM ET.

Based on the latest simulation results and today’s injury updates, Dimers' proven NBA model projects the Hawks as the most likely winner of the Hawks vs. Nuggets game.

This prediction follows the latest NBA Injury Report, which suggests the Nuggets lineup will feature players like Peyton Watson, Aaron Gordon and Tim Hardaway, while the Hawks will be led by Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu.

This article offers further insights into Friday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and player prop picks.

Hawks vs. Nuggets prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using powerful machine learning and data analysis, we have simulated the result of Friday's NBA game between the Hawks and Nuggets 10,000 times as part of our NBA predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model currently gives the Hawks a 60% chance of beating the Nuggets. Our predicted final score has the Hawks winning 115-112.

According to our model, the Hawks (-3.5) have a 53% chance of covering the spread, while the 229.5-point over/under has a 51% chance of staying under.

Hawks vs. Nuggets odds

We have researched the best NBA odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Hawks	Nuggets
Spread	-3.5 (-105)	+3.5 (-110)
Moneyline	-142	+125
Total	o229.5 (-106)	u229.5 (-110)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Hawks vs. Nuggets picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Spread	Hawks -3.5	-105
Moneyline	Hawks	-142
Total	Under 229.5	-110

According to our best NBA bets for Friday, the top play to make on this game is Hawks -3.5 at the spread.

Hawks vs. Nuggets player props

NBA player props are a common way to wager on the Atlanta vs. Denver game without necessarily betting on the outcome. We have crunched the numbers to project how each team's leading players will perform at Ball Arena.

Jalen Johnson is expected to lead the Hawks with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists, while Peyton Watson is projected to have 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists for the Nuggets.

Check out our NBA player projections for a full range of projected box scores, including points, assists, rebounds and today's NBA first basket picks.

Hawks prediction

Our model's projected player stats for the Hawks are:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	3PM	DFS
Jalen Johnson	26	10	9	2	59
N. Alexander-Walker	20	4	3	3	35
Onyeka Okongwu	18	8	3	2	38
Dyson Daniels	13	7	6	0	37
Vit Krejci	12	3	2	3	24

Nuggets prediction

Projected points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made for the Nuggets:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	3PM	DFS
Peyton Watson	18	6	3	2	37
Aaron Gordon	17	6	3	2	31
Tim Hardaway	15	3	2	3	25
Christian Braun	13	5	3	1	27
Jalen Pickett	10	4	5	2	27

Hawks vs. Nuggets game-day updates and essential details

Friday's game between the Nuggets and Hawks at Ball Arena is scheduled to commence at 9:00 PM ET.

• Who: Atlanta Hawks vs. Denver Nuggets
• Date: Friday, January 9, 2026
• Time: 9:00 PM ET/6:00PM PT
• Venue: Ball Arena

Conclusion

We predict the Hawks, with a 60% win probability, will likely beat the Nuggets on Friday, with Jalen Johnson projected for a game-high 59 fantasy points.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Hawks vs. Nuggets insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are based on up-to-date data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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