Wizards close out road trip 3-1 with impressive win over the Nuggets originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Wizards and Nuggets only seem to play games down the wire.
The two teams went back and forth all game, trading buckets down the stretch and then with the game on the line, Jamal Murray passed up a shot to win it at the buzzer.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
The Wizards are now 12-18 after going 3-1 on their West Coast road trip.
A successful road trip
Washington had four games against Western Conference playoff teams and they'll return home going 3-1 in that stretch. Not too bad considering they were underdogs in every single one of those matchups.
Now they can return to the East Coast with a home game against arguably the worst team in the league in the Timberwolves and a Celtics team that's been reeling since the Wizards handed them a loss on Valentine's Day.
If the Wizards can close out the first half of the season strong, they'll be in great shape to secure at least a spot in the play-in tournament.
Raul Neto provides a spark
Neto had his hands all over this game. He was extremely effective in breaking down the Nuggets' defense and making plays for his teammates and was active on the defensive end, making one of the hustle plays of the year in the first half.
Neto finished the game with 15 points, four assists and five steals. Aside from Bradley Beal, Neto was the best Wizard on the floor in this game.
With Ish Smith out for a while with a quad injury, the Wizards have had to lean on Neto as the primary backup to Russell Westbrook. So far so good, as he's been one of the more consistent bench players on the team and a guy Scott Brooks is going to need during a loaded schedule following the All-Star break. General manager Tommy Sheppard signing Neto on a minimum contract looks like a solid move along the margins right now.
Nuggets go crazy from three
After the Wizards torched the nets against the Nuggets just over a week ago, it was Denver's turn to knock down just about every 3-pointer they looked at Thursday night. The Nuggets hit 15 of their 38 attempts from deep and it was a major reason why they were able to stay in the game.
Denver turned the ball over 18 times and was dominated inside by allowing 48 paint points to the Wizards. If not for the 3-point barrage and a few key offensive rebounds, this would've been a much different game.
Still, it's no excuse for the Wizards, who've struggled to guard the 3-point line at times during the year. Whether it's bad closeouts or a lack of physicality on the defensive end letting opposing players get into a rhythm, the Wizards have some things to figure out regarding their 3-point defense.
Don't take Bradley Beal for granted
Bradley Beal is scoring the ball at a level where fans just expect an efficient 30-point performance to keep the Wizards' offense afloat in their time of need. He did just that again in this game by dropping 33 points on 10-19 shooting, silently roasting the Denver defense almost every time he touched the ball.
Let this simply serve as a reminder not to take these kinds of performances for granted. Beal is playing at an insane level right now and it's amazing to see how far he's come as an offensive player. Few players in NBA history have done what Beal is doing on a nightly basis.
Nikola Jokic is still a problem
Moe Wagner has been exactly what the Wizards needed out of that starting center spot. His energy, activity and defensive versatility are big reasons why Washington has turned its season around. That being said, he is not the right matchup for Jokic.
For the second-straight game, Jokic was able to get basically any shot he wanted against Wagner, especially in the post. When the Wizards brought the double team, the best passing big in the game got his teammates wide-open looks. The MVP candidate finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
It's just a matchup that better suits Robin Lopez and Alex Len. Fortunately for the Wizards, they don't have to see Jokic again this season.
Tune in to NBC Sports Washington at 6 p.m. on Saturday for full coverage of the Wizards' next game against the Timberwolves
