Nuggets-Wizards Instant Reactions: Denver welcomes back Jonas Valanciunas in win

Reinforcements arrived for the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. Jonas Valanciunas returned to action and the starting lineup in Washington. He made an immediate impact on the boards, and the Nuggets led from start to finish in the Nation’s Capital.

Final Score: 107-97.

Jonas Valanciunas Is Back

Valanciunas made an immediate impact in the starting lineup. He scored Denver‘s first bucket of the game, rolling to the rim and finishing the assist from Peyton Watson.

His size provided tons of problems for the Wizards, who sent him to the line for four free throws in his first six minutes. He was also a problem on the glass, pulling down four rebounds in that opening stint. In the second quarter, he threw down a monster slam over Alex Sarr.

Big Val played on limited minutes, but he finished with 16-9-2, including four offensive rebounds.

Peyton Watson Sets New Career-High

Watson cooled off in Denver’s consecutive losses to the Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Lakers. But he rediscovered his form in Washington, where he filled up the stat sheet in the first half.

Watson led all Nuggets with 15 points and 6 rebounds. He registered three assists, getting downhill and creating buckets for his teammates. He also recorded one steal and two blocks without turning it over.

The second half was kind to Watson as well. He scored 19 more, setting a new career-high with 34 total points. He was everywhere, scoring as a top option, contributing on the glass, and blocking four shots on the night.

Both Teams Ice Cold in the First Half

Neither team could put the ball in the basket during a miserable first half of basketball. The Nuggets shot 16-of-44 in the first half, including 5-of-17 from deep.

Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon combined to shoot 4-of-14 from the field, while Tim Hardaway Jr. opened 1-of-6. He was 0-of-4 from 3-point range, extending his streak to 12 consecutive misses beyond the perimeter.

Thankfully, the Wizards couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean. They shot 13-of-45 from the field, and the Nuggets carried a two-point lead into halftime.

Nuggets Win the Rebounding Battle

The Nuggets played their first game of 2026 with a traditional center, and they won the rebounding battle in Washington. Big Val was a force on the offensive glass, as was Bruce Brown — they each grabbed four. Watson led the squad with seven defensive rebounds, and seven different Nuggets grabbed at least four total boards in the win.