Nuggets 136, Spurs 134 OT: Jokic leads Denver

Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a 136-134 overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, finishing with 40 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists and 3 blocks in a high-level Western Conference matchup at Ball Arena. Denver improved to 50-28 by closing strong after trailing early.

Quarter-by-quarter breakdown

First quarter

San Antonio came out with the sharper offensive rhythm and put up 43 points in the opening period. The Spurs shot with confidence, moved the ball well and built a 43-36 lead after one, forcing Denver to play from behind almost immediately.

Second quarter

The teams played even basketball in the second, each scoring 29 points. That result allowed San Antonio to take a 72-65 lead into halftime. Denver stayed within reach, but the Spurs continued to generate efficient possessions and kept pressure on the Nuggets defense.

Third quarter

Denver finally made a dent coming out of halftime. The Nuggets outscored the Spurs 27-24 in the third quarter, trimming the margin to 96-92 entering the fourth. Jokic’s playmaking helped steady the offense, and Denver began to find better spacing from the perimeter.

Fourth quarter

The Nuggets kept pushing and won the fourth 32-28 to erase the deficit and force overtime at 124-124. Denver’s shot-making from deep played a major role in the comeback, while San Antonio still found enough offense to extend the game behind its front-line production.

Overtime

In the extra session, Denver outscored San Antonio 12-10. The margin stayed tight throughout, but the Nuggets executed just enough in the final possessions to come away with the two-point win in one of the highest-scoring games on the slate.

Key performers

Nikola Jokic delivered one of the night’s defining performances with 40 points, 8 rebounds and 13 assists while leading all scorers. He also added 3 blocks and directed an offense that finished with 34 assists and 19 made three-pointers.

For San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama was outstanding in defeat with 34 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks. He impacted the game on both ends and gave the Spurs a consistent interior presence throughout regulation and overtime.

Stephon Castle added important playmaking for San Antonio, leading the team with 9 assists. On the Denver side, the teamwide ball movement stood out as much as any individual stat, with the Nuggets assisting on 34 of their 49 made field goals.

NerdSports Stat: Denver gave up 72 first-half points and still won because it hit 19 three-pointers and posted 34 assists, meaning the Nuggets generated at least 57 points directly from threes and assisted baskets beyond their free throws.

Game analysis

This game turned on Denver’s ability to recover from its slow start without losing offensive efficiency. The Spurs finished with advantages in rebounds (50-45) and free throws made (25-19), but the Nuggets made up that difference with better three-point shooting. Denver shot 41.3% from beyond the arc and connected on 19 threes, compared to San Antonio’s 15.

The Nuggets also got cleaner late-game execution from their half-court offense. Jokic’s combination of scoring and distribution repeatedly put San Antonio into difficult decisions, and Denver’s supporting cast capitalized often enough to keep the floor balanced. While the Spurs opened with the better pace and maintained pressure deep into the game, Denver gradually took control of the possession battle that mattered most: the final stretch of the fourth quarter and overtime.

San Antonio still showed why its 59-19 record carried weight entering the night. The Spurs scored 134 points on the road, shot 92.6% at the line and received elite production from Wembanyama. But against Denver’s shot volume from deep and Jokic’s control of tempo, that was not quite enough to finish the game off.

Closing context

The win moved Denver to 50-28 overall and 25-13 at home, an important result as the Western Conference playoff race tightened in the final stretch of the regular season. San Antonio fell to 59-19 but still left with another strong road showing at 30-12 away from home. If these teams meet again in the postseason, this game offered a clear preview: half-court creation, late-game execution and depth shooting could decide the series.

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