Nuggets at Wizards
The Washington Wizards look to finish a perfect four-game homestand and maintain their position near the top of the Eastern Conference when they host the Denver Nuggets on Friday. The Wizards routed Miami 107-86 and knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers 111-95 in their last two contests and stand a pair of games behind first-place Toronto in the East. Denver stands fifth in the league in scoring (105.2) and should present a difficult challenge after winning seven of its last nine contests.
The Nuggets will test an improved Washington defense, which is allowing 95.9 points and 43.1 percent shooting after finishing at 99.4 and 45.8 last season. The game will pit two of the top three assist men in the NBA as Denver’s Ty Lawson (10.3) and John Wall (9.6) will run the show for their teams. The Nuggets have won six of the last eight games in the series, including a pair last season by a combined four points.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, Altitude2 (Denver), CSN Washington
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (9-9): Denver is averaging almost 110 points over the last nine games but must rebound after giving away a 14-point lead in the second half in a 105-103 loss to Portland on Tuesday. “That one was hard to swallow,” Nuggets coach Brian Shaw told reporters after his team gave up 23 points on 14 turnovers. Lawson leads the balanced offense at 16.6 points while Arron Afflalo (14.7), Wilson Chandler (13.3) and Kenneth Faried (11.2) have all contributed.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (12-5): Wall averages a team-high 18.1 points and may have to do more with veteran forward Paul Pierce (12.6) day-to-day due to a toe injury. Bradley Beal is averaging 14.8 points since missing the first nine games with a fractured left wrist, including a season-high 27 against the Lakers on Wednesday. Center Marcin Gortat averaged 20 points and 11.3 rebounds the last three contests and forward Nene (10.6 points) is closing in on a return after missing five games with plantar fasciitis.
BUZZER-BEATERS
1. Denver C Timofey Mozgov is 44-of 64 from the field and is averaging 12 points over the last nine games.
2. With a victory, Washington would match its best home start since 1984-85, when it began the season 9-2.
3. The Nuggets are averaging 9.6 made 3-pointers over their last 10 contests.