For a lot of the night time, it felt just like the San Antonio Spurs had every little thing underneath management. They performed quick. They shot confidently. They constructed a commanding lead in opposition to one of many NBA’s most harmful groups. However in opposition to the Denver Nuggets, even a 20-point cushion can disappear in a rush.
San Antonio watched its lead slowly slip away Thursday night time as Denver erupted within the fourth quarter, rallying previous the Spurs for a 136-131 victory in a sport that turned from promising to painful within the closing minutes.
The Spurs got here out energized regardless of lacking star heart Victor Wembanyama, who was out with ankle soreness. From the opening tip, San Antonio attacked the Nuggets with tempo and ball motion, discovering open shooters and pushing the tempo in transition.
By the tip of the primary quarter, the Spurs had seized management with a double-digit lead. The offense stored buzzing within the second quarter as San Antonio stretched the benefit to twenty factors, bringing the house crowd to life and sending the crew into halftime with a snug cushion. For 3 quarters, the Spurs appeared poised to drag off a formidable win in opposition to the defending champions.
However the Nuggets have been by no means going to go quietly.
Led by Nikola Jokić and the shot-making brillance of Jamal Murray, Denver started to chip away on the deficit. Jokić managed the glass and orchestrated the offense whereas Murray caught fireplace from the perimeter, turning routine possessions into momentum-shifting buckets. The strain lastly broke by means of within the fourth quarter. Denver unleashed a barrage of scoring, pouring in 42 factors within the closing body whereas the Spurs’ offense started to stall. A decisive run erased San Antonio’s remaining lead and flipped the sport in Denver’s favor with simply minutes left.
Regardless of the collapse, the Spurs had loads of brilliant spots.
Guard Stephon Citadel delivered the perfect efficiency of his younger profession, recording a triple-double with 30 factors, 11 rebounds and 10 assists whereas orchestrating a lot of San Antonio’s offense all through the night time. De’Aaron Fox added 27 factors and stored the Spurs inside putting distance down the stretch, whereas Harrison Barnes chipped in 20 factors with well timed scoring in his return from a short absence.
However in opposition to a veteran Denver squad, the Spurs merely ran out of solutions late. Ultimately, what appeared like one in all San Antonio’s most spectacular wins of the season become a irritating reminder of how shortly momentum can swing within the NBA. The Spurs had the sport of their palms for many of the night time.
The Nuggets simply took it away when it mattered most.
