Wizards 30-42 vs Nuggets 47-22
When: Thursday, March 21st, at 7 p.m.
Where: Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
TV: NBCSWA, ALT2 / Radio: 1500 AM, KKSE-FM 92.5
Injury
Wizards: Dwight Howard (Day to Day/ Back), John Wall (Out for the season/ Haglund’s deformity and chronic Achilles tendon injury)
Nuggets: Michael Porter (Out/ Back)
Wizards -
114.4 - points per game
117.0 - points against
47.0 - Field goal %
Nuggets -
112.0 - points per game
107.0 - points against
46.9 - field goal %
Keep an eye on:
Nuggets Ball Movement: Is no joke from the resident Mile High NBA team. It’s the key ingredient to one of the most efficient offenses in the league. The Nuggets rank fourth in the NBA in assist, averaging 27.8 a game, with all-star center Nikola Jokic leading the team at 7.5 per game. The result of their precise ball movement is highly efficient scoring. Denver ranks tenth in the NBA in field goal percentage (46.9) and thirteenth in 3-point percentage (35.6). With that said, Washington will need to have more pride on the defensive end then they’ve shown in their two previous games against the Jazz and Bulls, both losses.
Nikola Jokic: Jokic may be the most important centerpiece for a team in the NBA. With all due respect to the Giannis Antetokounmpo’s, James Harden’s of the world, everything the Nuggets do literally goes through Jokic. One of the most skilled bigs in the league today, Jokic is nearly averaging a triple double, posting 20.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 7.5 assist and 1.4 steals on 50 percent shooting from the field, 32 percent shooting from deep and 83 percent shooting from the charity stripe. He’s most deadly making plays from the high post due to his shooting, ability to put the ball on the floor and his outstanding court vision when making passes. He’s the total package offensively, and if that’s not enough, he’s also an effective offensive rebounder, grabbing nearly 3 a game. The Wizards must contain him by taking something away, either let him be a scorer and look to shut down everyone else or force him to be solely a playmaker. Easier said than done I know, but it’s something Washington has to find a way to make it happen or watch Jokic go Big O on em and Denver leave DC with a win.
