Field Level Media
Feb 17, 2021
Bradley Beal had 25 points and 10 assists and hit two free throws with 0.1 seconds left, lifting the host Washington Wizards to a 130-128 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
Davis Bertans scored a career-high 35 points and went 9-for-11 from beyond the arc while Russell Westbrook finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for Washington. Raul Neto and Rui Hachimura scored 14 points apiece and Alex Len had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Wizards, who have won three straight.
Jamal Murray scored 19 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, Nikola Jokic had 33 points and nine assists and Michael Porter Jr. and Facundo Campazzo had 14 points apiece for Denver.
The Nuggets, down by eight on multiple times, rallied early in the fourth quarter to get within a point on R.J. Hampton's 3-pointer, but Washington had an answer. Bertans hit a 3-pointer and was fouled on another long-distance attempt and sank all three foul shots for a personal six-point run.
After a shot-clock violation, Westbrook drove in for a layup to make it 110-101 with 8:48 left.
Murray hit a jumper out of a timeout, but the Wizards went on an 8-3 run, capped by Bertans' ninth 3-pointer of the night, to lead 118-106 with 5:21 left.
Denver rallied. JaMychal Green's 3-pointer cut the deficit to 123-117 with 2:58 left, and Murray scored his team's next 11 points, including a 3-pointer with 30.8 seconds left to tie the game at 125-125.
Bertans was fouled on a 3-point attempt and hit three free throws with 8.8 seconds left, but Murray answered with a long 3-pointer to tie it with 2.1 seconds to go.
On Washington's ensuing possession, Beal was fouled by Green, and he hit two free throws to win it.
Denver led by 20 late in the first quarter but Washington came back with a strong second. Beal scored 14 points in the second period to help the Wizards take a 70-64 halftime lead.
Washington increased its advantage to eight early in the third, but the Nuggets got within three. Neto's 3-pointer pushed the lead to 93-84 with 2:50 left in the period. Denver cut it to 95-91, but the Wizards took a 100-93 edge into the fourth quarter.
--Field Level Media