The Spurs played the spoiler on the second to last game of the season, beating the Nuggets 121-120 and potentially costing Denver the top seed in the West. San Antonio was down for as many as 23 but completed the comeback thanks to a fantastic stretch from Victor Wembanyama and a strong fourth quarter by the entire team.
The game was entertaining from the start, but it wasn’t the best-played matchup early, especially on the defensive end, where both teams seemed lax in the halfcourt and lethargic in transition. The pace was high and Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama were dazzling, but neither squad could string together enough possessions to take over, as the Spurs’ responded with timely threes to the Nuggets’s paint domination. As is always the case against Denver, the second unit vs. Jokic minutes were crucial, but the bench guys did enough to keep things close despite not looking particularly sharp. Once Wembanyama returned, Pop went to a two-center lineup that could have struggled on offense if not for the patience the group showed on that end. After one, San Antonio was, surprisingly, up by one.
The Spurs needed to win the non-Jokic minutes desperately to hang around, but unfortunately couldn’t. Turnovers and missed shots hurt them in the stretch before Wemby took a break, so the Silver and Black fell behind by a few points. Once again, the subs did well for a while but San Antonio was behind by two when the reigning MVP checked back in. Gregg Popovich sent Wembanyama to the court at the same time, in hopes of counterbalancing Jokic’s impact, but it didn’t work. Others did most of the work for Denver, but the superstar center made his mark while a clearly frustrated Wemby argued with officials, forced things and generally was a net negative. With Wembanyama struggling, Jamal Murray hitting shots and momentum on their side, the visitors went into the break up 18.
A disastrous start to the second half that saw the Nuggets quickly stretch the lead to 23 could have determined the game. No one would have blamed the Spurs for throwing in the towel this late in the season against the defending champions. Instead, Pop called a timeout and sent in Sidy Cissoko and Devonte’ Graham to give the team a jolt of energy. After the game, Graham also credited Zach Collins for demanding more intensity. It worked, as San Antonio held on until Wembanyama caught fire, bringing them back into it with a flurry of threes, including one from close to the logo. The Spurs were confident and competing against a team that kept its composure and regained control of the game but failed to put a hungry opponent away for good.
The third-quarter comeback attempt turning into a loss would have been fine for a team heading into the matchup with just 20 wins for the season, especially once the Nuggets again stretched their lead, but these Spurs refused to just play the part assigned to them. Zach Collins was great inside once Wemby went to the bench and the rest of the roles players stepped up, with Tre Jones orchestrating things and Sandro Mamukelashvili and Julian Champagnie attacking the rim at every opportunity. A lead that earlier in the frame was at 17 was cut to just five when Wembanyama made his return. The Jokic-Murray two-man game continued to hurt the Spurs, but the Silver and Black somehow stayed close and gave themselves a chance to win. A surprising Jokic miss with nine seconds to go led to a game-winner for Graham that shocked the NBA world.
Game notes
- Wembanyama wasn’t great in this one, forcing a bunch of threes and passes that ended in turnovers. He still finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. He’s already one of the best players in the league and a mediocre game for him is a good game for anyone else.
- Sandro Mamukelashvili finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds and was huge in the fourth quarter. After the game, when asked about the the possibility of bringing him back next season, Pop said “We definitely have to have that discussion.” That’s how impressive Mamu has been lately. As for Graham, who had 11 points, five assists and the game-winner, Pop said that is very important for the young guys to see veterans like him staying ready. Those two got their flowers from their coach.
- It’s surprising but amazing to see a team actually celebrate their 21st win of the season with just one game left. The Spurs have built a special group with great veteran leaders in the locker room and a young core that seems to enjoy playing together. The results on the court haven’t been great but watching guys be genuinely happy around each other even in a bad year has been encouraging.
- Tre Jones and Julian Champagnie were once again solid in their roles. It’s safe to assume at least one of them won’t be a starter next season, but both have done enough to prove their worth. The same goes for Zach Collins, who is ending the season well. No role player is untouchable and the Spurs should try to upgrade their roster, but the current versions of Jones, Champagnie and Collins seem like players that could help the team.
- Blake Wesley had another bad game. He’s young and talented but is not leaving a good impression to end the season. The complete opposite is happening with Sidy Cissoko, who is showing how contagious his energy is and looking like he’s a reliable three-point shot away from pushing for rotation minutes.
- The Spurs stayed on Jokic on screens and handoffs instead of helping on the ball handler. As a result, the big man had 12 assists and Murray scored 35. Wembanyama changed the strategy late in the fourth, but it didn’t work. The two-man game between Jokic and Murray is just impossible to stop.