Box Score

 

WASHINGTON (98)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Jeffries          24   5-6   3-5   0-1   0   4   15
K Brown             21   3-5   1-4   4-8   0   3    7
B Haywood           21   1-3   3-6   2-6   0   0    5
G Arenas            39  7-19  8-11   1-5   3   4   25
L Hughes            35  2-11  8-11   2-4   2   2   12
D Brown             26   3-9   0-0   1-3   6   3    6
M Ruffin            19   1-1   0-0   2-5   2   4    2
E Thomas            20   4-7   4-5   1-3   0   4   12
S Blake             25  2-12   3-4   1-3   1   1    8
L Profit            10   3-5   0-0   0-2   1   2    6
A Peeler           DNP  - SORE RIGHT KNEE                                
J Dixon            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 31-78 30-46 14-40  15  27   98
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.397, FT-.652. 3-Point Goals:
6-19, .316 (J Jeffries 2-2, G Arenas 3-6, L 
Hughes 0-2, D Brown 0-1, S Blake 1-8). Team 
Rebounds: 17. Blocked Shots:6 (B Haywood 2, L
Hughes, M Ruffin, J Jeffries, E Thomas). 
Turnovers:20 (L Hughes 4, B Haywood 4, L 
Profit 3, J Jeffries 3, G Arenas 2, D Brown 
2, K Brown 2). Steals: 8 (L Hughes 2, L 
Profit, B Haywood, D Brown, K Brown, S Blake,
J Jeffries).


DENVER (127)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
K Martin            22   6-8   2-7   2-5   2   3   14
C Anthony           23  6-10   1-4   1-4   5   4   14
M Camby             21   2-8   2-6   0-5   2   2    6
D Johnson           24  8-11   2-2   1-3   1   4   20
A Miller            25   4-8   2-2   2-2   7   2   10
Nene                13   2-5   3-4   2-6   0   4    7
G Buckner           27   3-7   0-1   2-5   3   5    7
W Person            22  4-11   0-0   0-4   4   3    9
E Boykins           22   4-6   2-2   1-2   9   0   11
E Najera            23   7-8   2-2   1-5   3   3   16
B Russell           10   2-5   1-2   1-5   1   1    7
F Elson              8   2-3   2-2   0-2   0   1    6
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 50-90 19-34 13-48  37  32  127
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.556, FT-.559. 3-Point Goals:
8-18, .444 (K Martin 0-1, C Anthony 1-1, D 
Johnson 2-3, A Miller 0-1, G Buckner 1-4, W 
Person 1-3, E Boykins 1-1, B Russell 2-4). 
Team Rebounds: 13. Blocked Shots:6 (M Camby 
2, K Martin 2, Nene, F Elson). Turnovers:16 
(C Anthony 4, E Boykins 3, D Johnson 2, K 
Martin 2, M Camby, F Elson, A Miller, Nene, E
Najera). Steals: 15 (A Miller 5, M Camby 3, G
Buckner 2, D Johnson 2, E Boykins, E Najera, 
K Martin).

-------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON            25  22  29  22  -   98
DENVER                28  30  34  35  -  127
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 16,712. T: 2:23. 
Officials: Courtney Kirkland, Scott Wall, Tom
Washington.

Extended Box

 

WASHINGTON (98) AT DENVER (127)

WASHINGTON

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J JEFFRIES        F    24    5-6      3-5      0   1   1    0   4   1   3   15
K BROWN           F    21    3-5      1-4      4   4   8    0   3   1   2    7
B HAYWOOD         C    21    1-3      3-6      2   4   6    0   0   1   4    5
G ARENAS          G    39    7-19     8-11     1   4   5    3   4   0   2   25
L HUGHES          G    35    2-11     8-11     2   2   4    2   2   2   4   12
D BROWN                26    3-9      0-0      1   2   3    6   3   1   2    6
M RUFFIN               19    1-1      0-0      2   3   5    2   4   0   0    2
E THOMAS               20    4-7      4-5      1   2   3    0   4   0   0   12
S BLAKE                25    2-12     3-4      1   2   3    1   1   1   0    8
L PROFIT               10    3-5      0-0      0   2   2    1   2   1   3    6
A PEELER              DNP  - SORE RIGHT KNEE                                          
J DIXON               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   31-78    30-46    14  26  40   15  27   8  20   98
                            (.397)  (.652)  TEAM REBS: 17 TOTAL TO: 20 (30 PTS)    

DENVER

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
K MARTIN          F    22    6-8      2-7      2   3   5    2   3   1   2   14
C ANTHONY         F    23    6-10     1-4      1   3   4    5   4   0   4   14
M CAMBY           C    21    2-8      2-6      0   5   5    2   2   3   1    6
D JOHNSON         G    24    8-11     2-2      1   2   3    1   4   2   2   20
A MILLER          G    25    4-8      2-2      2   0   2    7   2   5   1   10
NENE                   13    2-5      3-4      2   4   6    0   4   0   1    7
G BUCKNER              27    3-7      0-1      2   3   5    3   5   2   0    7
W PERSON               22    4-11     0-0      0   4   4    4   3   0   0    9
E BOYKINS              22    4-6      2-2      1   1   2    9   0   1   3   11
E NAJERA               23    7-8      2-2      1   4   5    3   3   1   1   16
B RUSSELL              10    2-5      1-2      1   4   5    1   1   0   0    7
F ELSON                 8    2-3      2-2      0   2   2    0   1   0   1    6
  
TOTALS                240   50-90    19-34    13  35  48   37  32  15  16  127
                            (.556)  (.559)  TEAM REBS: 13 TOTAL TO: 18 (11 PTS)    
  
   WASHINGTON         25   22   29   22   -   98
   DENVER             28   30   34   35   -   127
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: WASHINGTON - B HAYWOOD 2, L HUGHES, M RUFFIN, J JEFFRIES,
E THOMAS.  DENVER - M CAMBY 2, K MARTIN 2, NENE, F ELSON.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: WASHINGTON 6-19 (.316), J JEFFRIES 2-2, G ARENAS 3-
6, L HUGHES 0-2, D BROWN 0-1, S BLAKE 1-8. DENVER 8-18 (.444), K MARTIN 0-
1, C ANTHONY 1-1, D JOHNSON 2-3, A MILLER 0-1, G BUCKNER 1-4, W PERSON 1-
3, E BOYKINS 1-1, B RUSSELL 2-4.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: COURTNEY KIRKLAND, SCOTT WALL, TOM WASHINGTON.
A - 16,712. T - 2:23.

Game Story

DENVER (Ticker) -- While flashing back to their most successful 
season, the Denver Nuggets had plenty of success against the
Washington Wizards.

Wearing jerseys identical to those from the 1975-76 season, the
Nuggets received 20 points from DerMarr Johnson and 16 off the
bench from Eduardo Najera en route to a 127-98 rout of the
Wizards.

In 1975-76, its final campaign in the American Basketball
Association, Denver advanced to the league championship series
but lost in six games to the New York Nets.  In this one, with
coach George Karl getting into the act by wearing a retro jersey
on the sidelines, the Nuggets used a 16-6 run to take a 74-55
lead midway through the third quarter and never look back.

"I wore it for the team meeting and the players gave me so much
static, I wore it for the game," Karl said.  "I hope the league
understands.  I saw Doug Moe and Larry Brown wear at least this
much color in the 70s."

Johnson, who scored 11 points in the opening quarter, added four
during the decisive burst.  Najera, who combined with Kenyon
Martin to scored 20 of Denver's 34 points in the third period,
capped the spurt with a basket with 5:56 to go.

"The bench is coming in and contributing," Johnson said.  "We
are playing the way we need to be playing, and I think we could
even be playing better."

"On any given night, somebody can come off the bench and give us
a spark," Najera said.  "Good teams have a really good bench
and hopefully we just keep it up."

The Nuggets (36-30), who improved to 14-1 at home against
Eastern Conference opponents, extended their lead over idle
Minnesota to three games for the final playoff spot in the
Western Conference.  They now are only two games behind Memphis
for the seventh spot and face the Grizzlies twice over the final
16 games of the season.

"It just seems like we're playing very well together," said
Karl, who improved to 19-5 since being named coach of the
Nuggets on January 27.  "There's a good attitude.  It doesn't
matter who plays well, just as long as we play and we win."

After Washington went on a 10-0 run capped by two 3-pointers by
Gilbert Arenas in the second quarter to grab a 42-40 advantage,
Denver answered with 12 straight points for a 52-42 cushion with
2:09 to go.

"Our confidence right now is so high that even if a team makes a
run, we keep our composure," said Denver's Carmelo Anthony, who
scored 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting.  "We are going to have to
keep this going."

Arenas scored 25 points but just four in the second half and
Jared Jeffries added 15 for Washington, which has dropped five
straight meetings with Denver.

"I was in a rhythm (in the first half)," Arenas said.  "In the
second half, they went into a zone and knocked our rhythm off.
They just competed harder than us."

The Wizards (36-29), who have lost 10 of their last 12 on the
road, saw their lead over Cleveland for the fourth spot in the
Eastern Conference slip to one game.

"I'm glad this counted for just one loss and not five," Wizards
coach Eddie Jordan said.  "We didn't play well.  (Committing) 20
turnovers is just not us, so that was it."

Martin scored 14 points and Earl Boykins had 11 and nine assists
for the Nuggets, who have won four games in a row and 12 of 13.