Jordan Poole scored 39 points to lead the Washington Wizards to a 122-113 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, ending their 16-game losing streak. This victory came despite Nikola Jokic’s career-high 56 points.
Poole made a career-best nine 3-pointers and was one of four Wizards players to score in double figures. Justin Champagnie scored 23 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 12 rebounds, Jared Butler added 12 points, and Carlton Carrington chipped in with 10 points. Washington’s 16-game losing streak matched a franchise record.
The Nuggets were without Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Aaron Gordon (calf), so they relied heavily on Jokic. The three-time NBA MVP made 22 of 38 shots, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and also grabbed 16 rebounds while dishing out eight assists. His 56 points was the second-highest in Nuggets history, just behind David Thompson’s 73 in 1978.
For the Nuggets, Julian Strawther scored 18 points off the bench, Christian Braun added 14 points, and Michael Porter Jr. contributed 11 points. Denver has now lost three of its last four games.
The Wizards, shooting 48.4 percent from the floor, earned their first win since October 30, even without their No. 1 pick, Alex Sarr, who missed the game due to a sore back.
Washington led by as much as 15 points during the game. They went on a 7-0 run to take a 30-19 lead with 3:26 left in the first quarter. The Wizards scored a season-high 69 points in the first half, leading 69-57 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Wizards extended their lead to 78-63 after Valanciunas made two free throws with 9:15 left. But the Nuggets cut the lead to 81-77 after Jokic completed a three-point play with 5:22 remaining. Jokic added another basket to make it 91-88 with 2:08 left in the third. Butler’s layup with 0.3 seconds left gave Washington a 99-93 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Jokic scored 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting in the third. Poole led the Wizards with 14 points in the quarter.
Washington opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run, pushing their lead to 106-93 on Carrington’s floater with 9:56 left. Strawther’s basket inside cut the Nuggets’ deficit to 116-111 with 1:29 remaining, but Denver couldn’t complete the comeback.
The Nuggets finished 5-of-24 from three-point range, while the Wizards made 16 of 41.
