Jordan Poole had 39 points to help the host Washington Wizards overcome Nikola Jokic’s career-high 56 points and beat the Denver Nuggets 122-113 on Saturday to end their 16-game losing streak.
Poole hit a career-high nine 3-pointers and was one of five Wizards to score in double figures. Justin Champagnie had 23 points, Jonas Valanciunas finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocked shots, Jared Butler scored 12 points and Carlton Carrington added 10 points in the win. Washington’s 16-game skid within one season tied a franchise record.
With Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Aaron Gordon (calf) out, the Nuggets leaned on Jokic. The three-time NBA MVP shot 22 for 38 from the floor and was 3-of-5 from 3-point range. He added 16 rebounds and eight assists. Jokic’s point total was second in franchise history, trailing only David Thompson’s 73 in 1978.
Julian Strawther scored 18 points off the bench, Christian Braun added 14 points and Michael Porter Jr. added 11 for the Nuggets, who have lost three of their past four games.
The Wizards, who shot 48.4 percent from the floor, earned their first win since Oct. 30 despite not having No. 1 pick Alexandre Sarr, who missed the game with a sore back.
Washington, which led by as much as 15 points in the third quarter, went on a 7-0 run to take a 30-19 lead with 3:26 left in the first quarter. The Wizards had a season-high 69 points in the first half and led the Nuggets 69-57 at the break.
The Wizards pushed their lead to 78-63 after two free throws by Valanciunas with 9:15 left in the third. But the Nuggets cut their deficit to 81-77 after a three-point play by Jokic with 5:22 left in the quarter. Jokic hit another basket inside to trim Washington’s lead to 91-88 with 2:08 left in the third. Butler’s layup with 0.3 seconds left gave the Wizards a 99-93 lead entering the fourth.
Jokic scored 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting in the third. Poole led the Wizards with 14 points in the quarter.
The Wizards went on a 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter, pushing their lead to 106-93 on Carrington’s floater with 9:56 left in the game. Strawther’s basket inside cut the Nuggets’ deficit to 116-111 with 1:29, left but Denver couldn’t complete the comeback.
The Nuggets finished 5-of-24 from 3-point range, while the Wizards were 16-of-41.
–Field Level Media
