The Denver Nuggets will battle a tough Washington Wizards team at Pepsi Center.
The Denver Nuggets are coming off their first win of the year. The Nuggets did not get the win over the Kings in pretty fashion, but at the end of the day, a win is a win. This next game will be a much tougher test. They will be going up against the Washington Wizards who are led by the high scoring John Wall and Bradley Beal.
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This is one of the best back courts in the league, so don’t expect Denver to hold the Wizards to 79 points like they did the Kings. One match up to keep an eye on is Gary Harris versus Bradley Beal. Both are top 10 shooting guards in the league and can score in bunches when given the opportunity. If Harris can utilize his defensive prowess to slow down Beal, then the Nuggets chances of winning this game will improve exponentially.
Another thing to watch is how well the Nuggets will shoot the three point shot. Denver has struggled to get the long distance shots going to begin the year which is surprising considering they were the third best three point shooting team last year behind Golden State and Houston. It is imperative for them to hit the three because as the saying goes, “you live by the three, you die by the three.”
Nikola Jokic also has to be more aggressive in looking for his shot. He will get his assist and rebounds numbers no matter what, but he must start scoring if the team is to defeat this athletic Washington squad.
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This will be a tough game for Denver, but if they can execute effectively and play the defense they did against Sacramento, then they will have a legitimate chance of winning this game.