Nuggets hold off Wizards as Peyton Watson scores career-high 35 points

Bennett Durando, The Denver Post on Jan 22, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

WASHINGTON — Nuggets fans have been conditioned to experience extreme paranoia this season whenever a player reaches for his leg or shows even the slightest pain in a grimace.

A collective groan accompanied Peyton Watson down the court Thursday night after he popped up from the baseline with a limp. In a drowsy environment at Capital One Arena, supporters of the visiting team could be heard. Nuggets coach David Adelman used a timeout as Watson massaged his left ankle. He walked around gingerly behind the bench, then briefly disappeared toward the locker room with a team doctor. How could this keep happening?

Mercifully, the dread dissipated quickly this time. Watson promptly returned to the bench between the third and fourth quarters and was able to finish the game, a 107-97 Nuggets win over the Wizards. He was greeted by a small but audible cheer as he emerged from the tunnel.

The injury scare happened on a highlight, fittingly — a driving right-handed finish off the glass with enough arc to thwart a block attempt. Watson went for a career-high 35 points, along with eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and four blocks.

The Nuggets (30-15) needed it. They were riding a two-game losing streak and still missing three of their usual starters, even with backup center Jonas Valanciunas returning to the lineup. Scoring was a premium for both teams. Watson steadied the ship while Jamal Murray started slow on an eventual 24-point, five-assist night, and while Tim Hardaway Jr. struggling to find a rhythm.

The fourth-year wing shot 6 for 8 from 3-point range, extending the line with bombs above the break. Watson now has four career 30-point games — all this season, three this month.

Valanciunas returned from a right calf strain after missing the last 11 games, coinciding with Nikola Jokic’s extended absence for a hyperextended knee. Denver immediately felt the effects of having a traditional center back in the lineup. Valanciunas amassed 16 points and nine rebounds. He struggled with foul trouble but was on a minutes restriction anyway, finishing the night at 22.

“(He helps us) impacting the paint — the offensive rebounding, able to wall up at the rim defensively,” Adelman said. “Allows us to get back to, defensively, what we’ve been doing early in the year as opposed to lately with all these guys out. So it’ll be great to have him back. … Another body is such a big deal for us right now with the guys being worn down a little bit.”

Valanciunas scored as a roller to the basket on his first possession in three weeks. He got Wizards forward Khris Middleton stuck on a switch after screening for Aaron Gordon and drew a foul posting Middleton up. He passed to cutters out of the high post. He scored consecutive buckets after snatching offensive rebounds in the third quarter, a luxury the Nuggets had almost forgotten.

When the 33-year-old’s night was done, they finished the game with Gordon and Spencer Jones in the frontcourt.

Watson kept absorbing punches all the way to the final buzzer. Almost literal ones. Middleton caught him in the face while he tried to soar for a dunk with 1:50 remaining, causing Watson to stay down for a moment after a hard landing. He walked it off again, to the delight of the faction of Denver fans in the audience.

Jokic missed his 13th consecutive game, but he traveled with the team for the start of its three-game road trip and went through a pregame shooting routine in Washington, wearing a sleeve over his left leg. Injured wings Cam Johnson and Christian Braun also traveled and went through their routines.