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The Denver Nuggets return home after a long road trip to host the Washington Wizards at the Ball Arena on Monday. The Nuggets currently have a 13-13 record and have struggled this season due to a bevy of injuries on the roster. Meanwhile, the Wizards have slowed down after an incredible start to their season. They started 10-3 but are now struggling to stay above .500.
Match Details
Fixture - Washington Wizards vs Denver Nuggets | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time - Monday, December 13th, 2021; 9:00 PM ET (Tuesday, December 14th; 7:30 AM IST)
Venue - Ball Arena, Denver, CO.
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards were in the top 5 in ESPN's and NBA's power rankings a few weeks ago but are now steadily slipping in the conference standings. Many analysts critiqued their incredible start to the season, saying that their dominance would not last and that they were on a fluky streak. The team lost Russell Westbrook and gained three role players along with free agent Spencer Dinwiddie in the offseason. The narrative was that a group assembled like this cannot sustain the level of winning for 82 games. So far, it has looked exactly like the predictions.
The Washington Wizards started by winning 10 of their first 13 games but then lost 9 of their next 14. They are 15-12 right now, struggling to stay above .500 and their offensive rhythm has suddenly gone haywire. They are now 20th in offensive rating and 19th in defensive rating.
Key Player - Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal is the de facto leader of this Washington Wizards team. He has been with them the longest and is practically the face of the franchise. He is averaging 22.5 points, 5.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, which isn't good enough for his standards. Beal hasn't averaged less than 25 ppg since 2017 and he is also shooting 26% from three-point range, which is a career-low by a wide margin.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
G - Spencer Dinwiddie | G - Bradley Beal | F - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | F - Deni Avdija | C - Daniel Gafford.
Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets are likely to look like a mediocre team all season. As amazing as Nikola Jokic has been, the surrounding cast has been underwhelming. Aaron Gordon hasn't been consistent this season. He will put up 20+ points one night and then get single digits another night. Jamal Murray is still recovering from an ACL injury while Michael Porter Jr. is now sidelined for the rest of the season.
The team realized that they wouldn't be able to contend for a title this year, so they kept Porter Jr.'s extension in mind and planned for the future. Austin Rivers hasn't played a game in two weeks and Will Barton has also been ruled out for this clash. The Denver Nuggets rely heavily on Jokic's genius and hope for the rest of the players to step up to the challenge.
Key Player - Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic is having a historic season right now and he is rightfully earning MVP chatter even though the Denver Nuggets are 7th in the standings. He leads the NBA in practically every advanced stat, and the team's offensive rating drops by nearly 23 points when he is off the floor. He is fourth in the NBA in scoring (26.5), second in rebounding (13.5), and 12th in assists (7.2).
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
G - Monte Morris | G - Davon Reed | F - Jeff Green | F - Aaron Gordon | C - Nikola Jokic.
Wizards vs Nuggets Match Prediction
The Washington Wizards look like favorites to win the matchup because of the sheer number of injuries to the Denver Nuggets. The Wizards have a great backcourt that can outplay the opponents' guards. However, Nikola Jokic will need to be contained or else he will take over the game.
Where to watch the Wizards vs Nuggets game?
The matchup between the Washington Wizards and Denver Nuggets will be broadcast locally on Altitude and NBC Sports Washington. The game can also be live-streamed via the NBA League Pass.
Fans can tune in to the radio at KKSE 92.5FM and The Team 980 to listen to the live commentary of the game.
