WASHINGTON -- The Denver Nuggets saw an opportunity for a skid-busting win against the identity-searching Washington Wizards. With a potent offense and late game resolve, the Nuggets got what they needed.

Forward Danilo Gallinari scored 26 points and the Nuggets earned a 117-113 victory over the Wizards on Thursday.

Guard Emmanuel Mudiay had 20 points and center Nikola Jokic finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets (18-29), who had lost two straight and four of six. Despite blowing an 18-point second half lead, Denver prevailed by shooting 50.6 percent from the field including 9 of 18 on 3-point attempts.

"We were terrific on offense. The ball was moving," Nuggets coach Mike Malone said. "There was a sense of urgency. ...We knew this was a game (we could get). They've been struggling. We struggled the last couple. It's going to come down to who has more discipline and who wanted it more. Give our guys credit we were able to pull it out."

The Wizards (20-24) were pulling out wins, four in a row from Jan. 9-Jan. 15 with an up-tempo, small ball approach. Since then, five losses in six games including three straight.

Guard Garrett Temple led the Wizards (20-24) with 20 points. Washington had seven double figure scorers, but lost its third straight game. Guards John Wall and Bradley Beal each scored 17 points.

The Wizards lost their last two games by a combined 42 points including Tuesday's 106-89 setback at the Toronto Raptors without Beal. Washington has lost four of five at home.

"It's difficult because we were just on a four-game winning streak," said Wizards forward Jared Dudley, who scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half. "We showed the blueprint of how we have to do it. We have the tools. We have everything we need and then we regress."

Leading 64-58 at halftime, the Nuggets opened the third quarter with a 19-7 run as Gallinari's third 3-pointer in that span put Denver up 83-65.

With its fast break kicking in, Washington chipped away at the deficit before tying the game 99-99 on guard Ramon Sessions' 3-point play after a steal with 5:41 remaining. They never took the lead.

"You spend all that time and energy and focus trying to get back from 18," Beal said. "We shouldn't have been in that position."

Denver countered and went back in front for good with back-to-back 3-pointers by guard Gary Harris and Gallinari, who finished 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. The Nuggets defense help close out the win.

Wall, who is second in the NBA in assists and Washington's leading scorer, was named to the 2016 NBA All-Star game in Toronto on Thursday night.

Against the Nuggets, his shot didn't show as he finished 5 of 17 from the field.

"Their transition points definitely killed us tonight," Mudiay said. "If it wasn't for our half-court defense, I think they definitely would have been in the game a lot more."

Beal played with a protective mask after suffering a broken nose in Monday's 116-91 loss to the Boston Celtics.

Denver is 9-4 over its last 13 games in Washington. Guard Will Barton also scored 15 points.

Washington stuck with a defensive-oriented lineup featuring big men Nene and Gortat for the fourth straight game. Denver responded by shooting better than 52 percent from the field in the first half.

Wizards starting forward Otto Porter only played 15 minutes, finishing with two points. He left in the second half with hip tightness and did not return.

NOTES: Nuggets C Joffrey Lauvergne missed his second straight game with a toe injury. ... Various alumni, including Bernard King and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, attended the Wizards' "Throwback" night. The scene included uniform and scoreboard references to Baltimore Bullets, a nod to the franchise's roots. ... Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. is the son of Wes Sr., who played for Baltimore and was named NBA Finals MVP when the Washington Bullets won the title in 1978. ... The two teams will close out the season series on March 12 in Denver. ... Denver concludes its three-game road trip Saturday at the Indiana Pacers. The Nuggets won the previous meeting with Indiana 129-126 at home on Jan. 17. The Wizards play at the Houston Rockets on Saturday.