The Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs came into today’s game both riding big winning streaks with the teams and their stars living up to the billing of a marquee matchup between playoff opponents. Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama put on a show that took an extra five minutes to decide. Despite trailing most of the game, the Nuggets never gave up and kept grinding away until ultimately they outlasted the Spurs in overtime 136-134. Great win for the good guys!

Apr 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) warms up before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images


Devin Vassel opened the quarter knocking down a couple of threes and got the Spurs a small lead. Jokic and Jamal Murray kept Denver within striking distance but San Antonio’s offense was firing on all cylinders. Wemby got into foul trouble and went to the bench early which gave the Nuggets an opportunity to close the gap. They had their chances with the Spurs offense stalling out but Denver missed some easy looks and stayed trailing by about five. San Antonio’s guards started attacking the lane and that got their scoring going again. Meanwhile the Nuggets bench guards started hitting threes. They knocked down three in a row to get within two. Unfortunately, Josh Tiven decided Wembanyama hitting Jokic in the face and drawing blood wasn’t a foul but when the Nuggets were upset about that he awarded the Spurs a transition take foul and gave Denver two technicals. That let the Spurs finish the first leading 43-36.

The Nuggets went small to start the second and that went terribly. No one dared challenge Wemby inside so the Denver resorted in to chucking jumpers and weren’t hitting. David Adelman called timeout with the Nuggets trailing double digits and inserted Jonas Valanciunas which calmed things down. Denver couldn’t string together a run with Jokic on the bench and were still down a dozen with six minutes in the quarter. He helped lead a run to get the lead back under ten with the half winding down. Nikola got throat punched (no call) and the Spurs responded to Denver’s run by getting out on the break for transition baskets. The Nuggets swung the pendulum back the other way and had all the momentum until Josh Tiven decided that Wemby stepping on Aaron Gordon’s foot was a foul on Gordon. There was more confusion on the officiating side in the final seconds but once they got it sorted out the teams went to half with the Spurs leading 72-65.

Denver got a couple buckets to open the third and pulled back within a basket after an Aaron Gordon three. The Spurs pushed back with a mini-run while the Nuggets kept struggling to hit corner threes. Stephon Castle was attacking the basket and kept San Antonio in front. The lead started stretching out again and got back up to ten with just over three minutes left in the third. Bruce Brown got tangled up with Luke Kornet on a loose ball and had to leave the game. Denver had a nice close to the quarter and hit some threes to get back within a few points. After three San Antonio led 96-92.

Wembanyama dominated the opening of the fourth quarter and put the Spurs lead right back up to ten. That forced Jokic back into the game early to restore order. Denver started chipping away again, a Jokic three had them down just three with eight minutes to go. San Antonio kept responding, Wemby was being a menace on each end. Still, the Nuggets weren’t going away. Cam Johnson knocked down a couple shots and Denver was back within two points. They got the lead shortly after that on a Murray three as the game set up for a close finish. San Antonio got a favorable whistle down the stretch (they had only two fouls inside two minutes) and made the most of it. After Wemby sunk two free throws the Spurs were back up six with a minute and a half to go. Johnson saved Denver’s bacon with a four point play. The Nuggets were still down two with 32 seconds left when DeAaron Fox air balled a three setting up a final shot for Denver to tie or win. Adelman drew up a beautiful play that gave Gordon a wide open dunk but still left six seconds on the clock. AG played great defense in Wemby who missed the shot and the game headed to overtime.

Denver’s defense was tight to start the extra period. They were working the two man game with Jokic and Murray while the Spurs went to Wembanyama on every possession. A Johnson three got the Nuggets up four with just over two minutes to go. It stayed close into the final minute when Denver turned the ball over but Fox missed a point blank shot and Jokic cashed in a floater on the other end to put the Nuggets up four with nine seconds to go. Wemby missed a three and despite some free throw drama the Nuggets were able to emerge victorious. They get a fantastic 136-134 win.