Bradley Beal nets 33 as Wizards get past Nuggets
FILE– Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards goes to the basket against the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter at Ball Arena on February 25, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
Bradley Beal scored 33 points, Russell Westbrook had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, and the visiting Washington Wizards beat the Denver Nuggets 112-110 on Thursday night.
Rui Hachimura scored 20 points, Raul Neto added 15 and Robin Lopez had 10 for Washington.
Jamal Murray finished with a game-high 34 points, Nikola Jokic had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Michael Porter Jr. added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Monte Morris scored 12 for the Nuggets, who couldn’t make a comeback in the final seconds.
Bradley Beal (33 PTS) & Jamal Murray (34 PTS) put on a show as the @WashWizards prevail in Denver! pic.twitter.com/NEVkT4c8ch
— NBA (@NBA) February 26, 2021
Murray missed a 3-pointer with 31.6 seconds left but Neto’s layup rolled off with 5.6 seconds remaining. Murray raced downcourt and fed Facundo Campazzo for a 3-pointer, but it bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
The Wizards opened up a seven-point lead midway through the third quarter but Denver stayed close on a trio of 3-pointers. Washington kept attacking the basket to keep the lead but Murray hit two straight from long range to tie it at 86 with 1:25 in the third.
Zeke Nnaji scored on a layup and Neto hit two free throws to send it to the fourth tied at 88.
Porter gave the Nuggets a 94-90 lead with a put-back slam, Neto answered with a corner 3-pointer and then Murray hit another from deep off a Campazzo steal to make it 97-93 with 9:07 remaining.
Beal scored six points and Westbrook hit a turnaround jumper to put the Wizards ahead 105-103, but Murray hit a shot in the lane to tie it again with 4:08 left.
Beal hit a free throw and Westbrook banked one in to put Washington up 108-105 with 3:07 remaining. Beal’s two free throws extended the lead to 112-108, Porter had a dunk and the Wizards turned it over with 51 seconds left.
The Wizards led by 12 in the second quarter on Beal’s jumper with 5:51 left but Denver put together a 19-4 run to lead 51-48 on a fastbreak layup by Morris. Garrison Matthews drained a 3-pointer in the final seconds to put Washington ahead 56-54 at halftime.
