The Denver Nuggets didn’t exactly cruise past the Washington Wizards on Friday night-but when it mattered most, Jamal Murray stepped up and delivered. In a game that saw Denver struggle to put away a depleted Wizards squad, Murray took over late, while Tim Hardaway Jr. gave the Nuggets a massive lift off the bench with a 30-point explosion. Denver outscored Washington by nine in the final frame to avoid a letdown and escape with a 121-115 win.
Early Fireworks, But No Knockout Punch
Denver opened the game looking sharp from deep-Jalen Pickett and Jamal Murray each hit early threes to set the tone. The Wizards, meanwhile, came out flat, struggling to generate any rhythm offensively. Peyton Watson carried the scoring load early, but Washington eventually found their footing and started matching Denver’s pace.
Murray responded by reigniting the Nuggets' offense, triggering a 9-0 run that gave Denver some breathing room. Washington finally broke the drought with some inside scoring, but the Nuggets maintained a slim lead thanks to Hardaway Jr., who buried a buzzer-beating three to close the first quarter with Denver up 36-29.
Bench Woes and Sloppy Play Let Wizards Back In
The Nuggets’ second unit struggled to find its footing in the second quarter. Hardaway Jr. continued to score, but the rest of the bench couldn’t get much going, and the Wizards clawed their way back into it. Washington cut the lead to one before Michael Malone turned back to Murray and Aaron Gordon to stabilize things.
Murray delivered a slick layup to push the lead back to eight, but the Nuggets got careless. Turnovers piled up, and the Wizards capitalized, turning a bad Denver giveaway into a fast-break dunk that gave them a 55-53 lead. Alex Sarr was a problem inside, giving Denver fits with his length and activity in the paint.
Murray kept the Nuggets in it, trading buckets with Sarr down the stretch. He hit a tough step-back jumper over the rookie big man just before halftime, but it was Washington who went into the locker room with a 63-62 lead.
Cold Shooting and Second-Chance Points Keep Wizards in Front
Both teams came out of halftime looking sluggish. Denver briefly reclaimed the lead, but their inconsistency on both ends allowed the Wizards to hang around-and even take control. The Nuggets were living on the perimeter but couldn’t buy a bucket from deep, while Washington kept pounding the glass and getting easy looks inside.
Midway through the third, Denver still trailed by a possession or two. They managed to get Sarr into foul trouble, but Bub Carrington stepped up for the Wizards, helping stretch the lead. Denver responded just in time-Hardaway Jr. hit a clutch three, the defense tightened up, and the Nuggets trimmed the deficit to 86-83 heading into the final quarter.
Hardaway and Murray Close the Door
The Nuggets’ bench hung tough early in the fourth, but second-chance points continued to hurt them. Washington’s lead grew again, prompting Malone to bring Gordon back into the game.
That’s when Hardaway Jr. caught fire. He knocked down back-to-back threes to pull Denver within one, then tied the game with a strong and-one finish.
On the next possession, he drew a charge to swing momentum fully in Denver’s favor.
Still, the Nuggets couldn’t fully pull away. A few sloppy possessions let Washington hang around, and even after a highlight-reel left-handed dunk by Hardaway, a foul on a three-point shooter allowed the Wizards to stay within striking distance.
But with the game in the balance, Jamal Murray took over. He got to the line, hit tough shots, and orchestrated the offense like a seasoned closer. A foul drawn by Murray pushed the lead to seven, and Gordon sealed it with a high-flying reverse alley-oop that brought the crowd to its feet.
Final Takeaway
It wasn’t pretty-and it probably shouldn’t have been this close-but the Nuggets found a way. Murray’s late-game heroics and Hardaway Jr.’s scoring punch off the bench were the difference.
Denver’s defense still has some cleaning up to do, especially on the glass, but a win’s a win. And when your stars show up when it counts, that’s the kind of effort that can carry you through the grind of the season.