Washington Wizards vs Denver Nuggets Prediction: Will Washington be able to pick up an important win?

Wes Unseld Jr. used to work as Michael Malone's assistant for Denver, so it will be interesting to watch the Nuggets and Wizards clash. Will Washington be able to keep Nikola Jokic in check and pick up an important win?

The Wizards continue to beat everyone, and any chance of a playoff spot may soon disappear for good. We can understand a failure against either Cleveland or Philadelphia, but the recent loss to Orlando is hard to justify. The 112:122 loss to the Magic was the eighth over a 10-game stretch, though the Capitals had a chance to escape. The Wizards were leading before the final quarter, but at the crucial moment, the team missed three-point shots and made only 3 of their 11 field goal attempts. Kristaps Porzingis was the best player on the Washington roster, with 30 points. The team may have missed Kyle Kuzma, who was injured but will likely miss the game against Denver.

The Nuggets are slowly climbing out of the little crisis they've been in lately. Denver has retained first place in the West, but five losses in 7 games are insignificant for the conference leader. That said, it's hard to blame Nikola Jokic: he was often the best in terms of plus/minus. Jokic was the most useful (+13 on +/-) against Brooklyn, and Denver won 108:102. Nikola had a triple-double, and Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. looked good. The starting five players made the difference, and when the reserves came on the court, the team faltered and allowed the opponent to cut the lead.

So far, it's hard to tell if Denver has solved its problems. The Nuggets have had a hard time playing on the road, let alone recently losing to Western Conference underdog San Antonio. Their defense is faltering, and Washington could take advantage of that. It is more difficult without Kyle Kuzma, but the Wizards have won throughout the season, even in his absence. The Metropolitan Club has a tremendous defensive upside and can reach its full potential at home.