Nikola Jokic, Nuggets Cruise to Easy Win vs. Bradley Beal, Wizards
The best way to consistently move up the NBA standings is by beating the teams you are supposed to, and the Denver Nuggets did just that Tuesday.
Denver defeated the Washington Wizards 117-104 at Pepsi Center and improved to 13-3 on the season. The Nuggets have won six games in a row after Jerami Grant, Will Barton, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray led the way in the first of two matchups this season with the Wizards.
As for Washington, it is just 5-10 on the campaign following a second straight loss.
Notable Player Stats
- DEN F Jerami Grant: 20 points, four rebounds and two steals on 7-of-13 shooting
- DEN C Nikola Jokic: eight points, 20 rebounds and five assists on 4-of-8 shooting
- DEN G Jamal Murray: 16 points and three steals on 7-of-12 shooting
- DEN G Will Barton: 17 points, eight assists and eight rebounds on 7-of-13 shooting
- WAS G Bradley Beal: 14 points, six assists and four rebounds on 6-of-15 shooting
- WAS G Jordan McRae: 21 points, four rebounds and three assists on 9-of-16 shooting
Nuggets Defense Overwhelms Another Opponent
The Nuggets entered play tied for first in the league in defensive rating with the Utah Jazz and Miami Heat, per NBA.com, and added to their impressive early list of accomplishments on that side of the floor.
Denver has held eight of its first 16 opponents to less than 100 points, which has helped keep the team near the top of the loaded Western Conference standings. While Washington reached the century mark in garbage time, the Nuggets still swarmed its perimeter shooters to set up transition opportunities as the home team put the game away by halftime.
The Wizards were an ugly 1-of-16 shooting from three-point range in the first half as they fell behind by 17 and finished 10-of-40 (25 percent) for the game. The poor shooting allowed the Nuggets to build their commanding 58-36 rebounding advantage with Jokic controlling the glass even though he was relatively quiet as a scorer.
While the level of competition will increase with the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets, among others, waiting, it isn't difficult to envision Denver using the defense on display against Washington to make a playoff run.
The Wizards never had a chance to make up their early deficit against one of the league's best defenses, even with Bradley Beal spearheading the offense.
Inconsistent Bradley Beal Can't Counter Denver's Balanced Attack
The Nuggets are known for their defense, but their offense was primed for a monster performance against an overmatched Wizards side.
Washington is a mere 29th in the league in defensive rating, per NBA.com, and couldn't stop Denver's balanced offense. Grant, Barton and Murray showed no hesitation attacking the basket and taking advantage of the space created by the attention Jokic draws.
The Nuggets needed a solid offensive showing considering they were facing a group that entered play second in the league in offensive rating thanks in large part to Beal.
Even in a rebuilding season with no John Wall to prevent double-teams, Beal has been excellent on the offensive side. He came into the Nuggets showdown averaging 29.6 points and 7.1 assists a night and has already scored 44 points on two different occasions in November.
While he has been a massive bright spot in an otherwise lackluster season, Beal struggled to find his stroke at 2-of-10 from deep and didn't provide nearly enough of a spark to overcome six Nuggets in double figures.
What's Next?
The Wizards visit the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, while the Nuggets travel to face the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
