Wizards: 3 Takeaways From Road Win In Denver

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:07 p.m. ET

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Mar 8, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Wizards have won two games so far on the West Coast road swing. Here are three takeaways from their most recent win.

The Washington Wizards are still perfect at 2-0 on their current road trip with three games to go. They made easy work of the Denver Nuggets, winning 123-113. The Nuggets were without forwards Danilo Galinari and Nikola Jokic.

Point guard John Wall led all scorers with 30 points and dished out 10 assists. It is Wall's third straight double-double and 42nd of the season.

The team almost made it through the game without any ejections. However, forward Markieff Morris was ejected for kicking Mason Plumlee in the crotch. Bojan Bogdanovic didn't have another huge game, but he still was key off the bench.

Bogdanovic had 10 points, two rebounds and an assist in 21 minutes of work.

Although Bogdanovic didn't have a big game, center Marcin Gortat did, staying out foul trouble this go around. He got back to his double-double ways with 11 points and 15 rebounds. As a team, the Wizards shot the ball 56.8 percent from the floor and 42.3 percent from the three-point arc.

Shooting guard Bradley Beal made 5-of-7 threes and shot 9-for-15 from the floor in the game with 23 points, five assists and three rebounds. It is Beal's sixth game with five three pointers this season.

With 19 games to go in the season, the Wizards trail the Cleveland Cavaliers by just three games for the No. 1 spot in the East. It looks like they're starting to learn to play together. The team had 31 assists in the game. They are 4-0 when they record 30 or more assists as a team.

Here are three takeaways from their win over the Nuggets.

Mar 7, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; NBA referee Ken Mauer (center) yells at Washington Wizards forward Jason Smith (14) as guard Brandon Jennings and forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (12) argue with Phoenix Suns guard Leandro Barbosa (19) during a second quarter scuffle at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Jennings Fills The Stat Sheet

Point guard Brandon Jennings bounced back in a big way after being ejected against the Phoenix Suns on March 7. He played roughly 17 minutes in the game, but made good use of his minutes.

Jennings heeded head coach Scott Brooks' advice to shoot more, although he shot just 2-for-7 from the floor. He was 0-for-4 from three and 0-of-2 from the free throw line, but he contributed in other ways.

He finished the game with four points, six assists, two rebounds and two steals. He's getting more and more acclimated to the Wizards' offense and setting up teammates with his point-guard prowess.

With more games to go, expect for Jennings to join Bogdanovic soon as a key bench player. His ejection against the Suns certainly hurt his adjustment time. But if he can keep his cool going forward, he'll be a lethal role player for the Wizards come playoff time.

Mar 8, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Bogdanovic Cools Off, But Starters Keep Pace

The Washington Wizards won easily, but it wasn't due to the heroics of Bojan Bogdanovic. It was their starters, instead, who stepped up for them in the victory.

The Wizards starters outscored Denver's 97-78 in the game. In the previous two games, Washington's starters were outscored 169-143. It was their bench who outscored opponents 103-72 in the last two games that allowed for key victories.

The Wizards bench wasn't too strong for them in the game against the Nuggets, getting outscored 35-26.

The Washington Wizards used big shooting nights from their starting five to get a 123-113 win. It was the first game since Feb. 28 that all five starters scored in double figures. They won that game, 112-108 over the Golden State Warriors.

The Wizards' starters shot 39-for-62, 62.9 percent, from the floor. Point guard John Wall had one of his better shooting games of the season, shooting 12-for-19 from the field and 2-for-6 from behind the three-point line. And then there was Otto Porter's performance.

Mar 8, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Otto Porter Gets Out Of His Slump

Washington Wizards forward Otto Porter was in a bit of a slump since the All-Star break. But Porter put most of that behind him with a strong game against the Denver Nuggets.

Porter scored 22 points, shooting 10-for-15 from the floor and 2-for-3 from three. He also had four steals and three rebounds in the game. It was Porter's first 20-point game since the All-Star break.

He went scoreless for the first time all season back on March 3 against the Toronto Raptors. With games against the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves, expect Porter's good shooting to continue.

Porter is shooting an average of 56.5 percent from the floor and 53.3 percent from three against all three teams so far this season. He is averaging 14.6 points and 6.0 rebounds against them as well.

As the team's rotation is playing better together, look for Porter to find his shot again over the next few games.

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