NBA: Down 20 to Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs, Nuggets prevail

Jamal Murray scored 39 points, and Nikola Jokic recorded a 31-point, 20-rebound, 12-assist triple-double as the Denver Nuggets overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 136-131 on Thursday.

The Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama, who sat out with right ankle soreness. It was the first game Wembanyama missed since Jan. 3, when San Antonio lost at home 115-110 to Portland. The Spurs have gone 10-5 without him this season.

The weary Nuggets, playing the second game of a home-road back-to-back, did not arrive in San Antonio until the early hours of Thursday morning. Despite the travel, Denver dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring the Spurs 42-25.

San Antonio led by 16 at halftime and by 12 after three quarters. Denver began its comeback with an 11-0 run, capped by Julian Strawther’s 3-pointer with 9:17 left. The Nuggets took their first lead when Murray’s step-back 3-pointer made it 121-119 with 4:39 remaining. Two more jumpers by Murray extended Denver’s advantage to six, and Cameron Johnson’s 3-pointer with 3:02 left — Jokic’s 12th assist of the game — completed a 14-0 run, giving the Nuggets a lead they would not relinquish.

The loss ended the Spurs’ five-game winning streak, though they have still won 16 of their last 18 games.

Spencer Jones added 19 points for Denver, with Johnson scoring 15, Christian Braun contributing 11, and Strawther finishing with 10.

Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking his third career triple-double. De’Aaron Fox scored 27 points, Harrison Barnes added 20, Devin Vassell contributed 18, Dylan Harper had 13, and Carter Bryant finished with 10.

The Spurs controlled the first quarter, leading 37-25 despite Jokic scoring 12 points. San Antonio extended its lead to 20 with 4:29 left in the second quarter, but Denver cut it to 60-51 on two Murray free throws with 1:37 remaining. The Spurs went into halftime ahead 69-53.

Jokic led all players with 17 points and 11 rebounds before halftime, though he was the only Denver player in double digits. Castle paced the Spurs with 15 points, Vassell added 12, and Barnes scored 10 in his return after missing five games with an ankle injury.

-Field Level Media/Reuters