On Friday night, the San Antonio Spurs hosted the defending champion and conference-leading Denver Nuggets in Austin. However, the Moody Centre did not generate the same level of excitement that the Frost Bank Centre did during their other upset victories earlier this season.

Nikola Jokic, a prominent player for the Nuggets, achieved a remarkable 31 points, leading Denver (47-20) to secure a 117-106 victory by outperforming the Spurs (14-53) in the fourth quarter.

“The advantage of playing against the Nuggets, and having the opportunity to play them twice more, is the opportunity to compete against a championship team and witness their exceptional performance,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich stated following the game.

Victor Wembanyama, a rookie star for the Spurs, under persistent pressure from the Denver defence throughout the night. He faced difficulties with his shooting, but ultimately managed to score 17 points on 4 out of 12 attempts. Additionally, he contributed nine rebounds and three blocks. 

Jeremy Sochan contributed a game-high 19 points for the Spurs, while Devin Vassell, Zach Collins, and Julian Champagnie also achieved double-digit scoring.

In addition to accumulating 31 points on 13 out of 19 offensive attempts, Jokic contributed seven rebounds and five assists. Jamal Murray, a guard with the Nuggets, recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun, and Justin Holiday also had strong scoring performances, with 13 points, seven rebounds, and 13 points respectively.

San Antonio fell down by a margin of up to 21 in the first half, but regained momentum and reduced the deficit to a mere six before halftime, starting the third quarter. Both sides engaged in a fierce exchange in the third period, but, the Spurs were unable to regain the advantage after narrowing the gap to four points.

Popovich noted that during the initial quarter, our team exhibited a notable lack of stability, akin to an excessive display of reverence. “Subsequently, they successfully reassembled it… the level of dedication exhibited throughout the game precisely met my expectations.”

The Spurs, aiming for a surprising victory in the last minute, were instead defeated by a consistent performance from Murray and Braun in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets swiftly surpassed San Antonio, resulting in a decisive victory.

Prior to their match against the Brooklyn Nets at the Moody Centre on Sunday, the Spurs will remain in Austin.