Washington Wizards vs Denver Nuggets Preview and Match Prediction - February 25th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Washington Wizards continue their seven-game road trip in the West coast and face the Denver Nuggets next at Ball Arena. The two teams faced each other just over a week ago when the Wizard edged out Nuggets 130-128.
The Washington Wizards' 5-game winning run was snapped by the mighty LA Clippers in their last game as Bradley Beal and Co. fell to a 135-116 defeat.
The Denver Nuggets, on the other hand, beat the Trail Blazers 111-106 but haven't quite clicked in the last few games, recording just two wins in the last five outings.
Match Details
Fixture: Washington Wizards vs Denver Nuggets | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Thursday, February 25th, 9:00 PM ET (Friday, 7:30 AM IST)
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards showed tremendous grit and determination in their five-game winning run but couldn't keep up with the LA Clippers.
Scott Brooks' side started poorly but put up a solid fight between the second and the third quarter. By the fourth quarter, they were able to cut the deficit down to five points but the Clippers showed their steel to come back and thump the Wizards 135-116.
2021 West All-star starter Bradley Beal top-scored yet again with 28 points which was equal to the Wizards' bench total and as a result, they failed to register their sixth straight win.
Key Player - Davis Bertans
While the likes of Bradley Beal and Russel Westbrook will deliver consistently, the Washington Wizards will need a bench player like Davis Bertans to step up and take some pressure off the star duo. Bertans scored a career high 35 points the last time Wizards took on the Denver Nuggets in the 130-128 win while also shooting career-best nine 3-pointers in the process.
The Washington Wizards will be hoping Davis Bertans inspires the rest of the bench as well and helps the side bounce back from the huge loss to the Clippers.
Predicted Lineup
G - Russell Westbrook, G - Bradley Beal, F - Garrison Mathews, F - Rai Hachimura, C - Moritz Wagner
Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets are shorthanded at the moment and Michael Malone will be hoping his side can pull off another victory despite the issues. The likes of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic will once again have to shoulder the responsibility of taking the team over the line. Jokic scored 41, while Murray contributed 24 valuable points in their win against the Trail Blazers.
The Blazers are equally affected by injuries, though, which will be something the Nuggets must have on their mind as they prepare to face a Wizards side who still have a good amount of depth comparatively.
Key Player - Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray could be seen guarding the likes of the in-form Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook for the majority of the game. His performance on the defensive end of the floor could very well determine the fate of this match as the Washington Wizards bank heavily on their star duo to give them the desired results.
If Murray can somehow manage to keep them down and also score freely, the Nuggets can very well go on to win the game.
Predicted Lineup
G - Jamal Murray, G - Monte Morris, F - Will Barton, F - Michael Porter Jr., C - Nikola Jokic
Wizards vs Nuggets Match Prediction
The Washington Wizards are in much better form based on their last five games and have a better squad depth than the Denver Nuggets at the moment. There are high chances that the Nuggets could run out of steam as the match progresses, so as it stands the Wizards are more likely to win this contest.
Where to watch Wizards vs Nuggets?
The local telecast of the match between the Washington Wizards and the Denver Nuggets will be carried by Altitude and NBC Sports Washington. International fans can live stream this matchup via the NBA League Pass.