Jamal Murray poured in 39 points and Nikola Jokic amassed a 31-point, 20-rebound, 12-assist triple-double as the visiting Denver Nuggets rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 136-131 on Thursday.
The Spurs played without Victor Wembanyama, who sat out with right ankle soreness. It was the first game Wembanyama has missed since Jan. 3 when the Spurs lost at home 115-110 against Portland. San Antonio is 10-5 without him this season.
The weary Nuggets, who were playing the second game of a home-road back-to-back, did not arrive in the Alamo City until the wee hours of Thursday morning but were ultimately the stronger team in the fourth quarter, outscoring San Antonio 42-25.
The Spurs were up by 16 at halftime and by 12 after three quarters before Denver got back in it with an 11-0 run capped by Julian Strawther’s 3-pointer with 9:17 to go. The Nuggets took their first lead when Murray’s stepback 3-pointer made it 121-119 with 4:39 left.
Two more Murray jumpers pushed Denver’s advantage to six and Cameron Johnson’s 3-pointer with 3:02 remaining — on Jokic’s 12th assist of the game — capped a 14-0 run and gave the Nuggets a lead they would not relinquish.
The loss snapped the Spurs’ five-game winning streak but they have still won 16 of their past 18 games.
Spencer Jones added 19 points for Denver, with Johnson scoring 15, Christian Braun hitting for 11 and Strawther tallying 10.
Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to produce his third career triple-double. De’Aaron Fox added 27 points, Harrison Barnes had 20, Devin Vassell scored 18, Dylan Harper hit for 13 and Carter Bryant contributed 10 for the Spurs.
The Spurs owned a 37-25 lead after the first quarter despite a dozen points from Jokic.
San Antonio led by 20 with 4:29 left in the second period before the Nuggets trimmed the deficit to 60-51 on two Murray free throws with 1:37 remaining. The Spurs went to the break with a 69-53 lead.
Jokic led all players with 17 points and 11 rebounds before halftime but was the only Denver player with more than nine points. Castle paced the Spurs with 15 points, with Vassell adding 12 and Barnes hitting for 10 in his return after missing five games with an ankle injury.
