AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored 31 points and the Denver Nuggets beat San Antonio 117-106 on Friday night in a game played in the Texas capital as the Spurs drew record crowds in an attempt to expand their regional fan base.
After his initial shot was blocked by San Antonio rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, Jokic went 13 for 19 from the field. The reigning NBA Finals MVP added seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
“I don’t think anybody can do what Nikola does,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s amazing. Fantastic.”
Jamal Murray added 15 points and 10 assists for Denver, which won its fifth straight game and 11th in 12 games to stay atop the Western Conference standings.
Jeremy Sochan scored 19 points and Devin Vassell and Wembanyama each had 17 points for San Antonio, which suffered its third straight loss.
The Spurs have played in Austin the past two seasons to expand their financial reach and build their fan base. The move proved to be a popular choice as the Spurs set an attendance record for a sporting event at the Moody Center with 16,223 on Friday.
Still, Nuggets coach Michael Malone worried his team wouldn’t have the right mindset because Austin isn’t a traditional NBA town.
“It has a preseason feel,” Malone said before the game. “Hopefully for our players, once the spike goes up, we’ll realize it’s not pre-season, it’s a real game.” We need to lock in and give it the attention and respect it deserves.”
The game had its logistical difficulties. The teams were not familiar with where to go in the stadium. Monitors and video scoreboards weren’t updating or were completely turned off, and Spurs radio announcer Bill Schoening had to broadcast on his cell phone.
But any worries Malone had about how the defending NBA champions would react were quickly dispelled.
The Nuggets shot 55% from the field and led by as many as 21 points.
Denver forced 16 turnovers, leading to 27 points.
“Just a huge turnout,” Malone said. “You want to be disruptive on defense. You don’t want to let teams run their offense and let them get whatever shot they want. You want to upset them and make teams feel you, and I think we’re doing a really good job of that.”
Despite Wembanyama blocking Jokic early, Denver attacked the rim with impunity. Aaron Gordon had an alley-oop dunk one possession after a dunk with Wembanyama trailing closely. Michael Porter Jr., followed by a three-point play completion on a contested layup and a foul by Julian Champagne.
Porter finished with 13 points and Gordon had seven.
Denver went on a 12-0 run in the first quarter to build a 19-point lead.
“When we play defense like that, we make our lives really easier,” Jokic said. “We are a good team. We can get to the basket; we can shoot some open 3s. We can have an easy attack. Our defense is something that has to be there every day and it was there today.
The Spurs cut the deficit to 81-77 on a contested layup from Keldon Johnson to Jokic with 1:23 left in the third, but the Nuggets quickly regained a double-digit lead in the fourth.
“Some things you can’t match,” Popovich said. “You can’t reach the level of talent they have at the moment with (Spurs’) young squad, but you see what it takes. Perseverance, we have an effort, I’m proud of the way we played. We were really shaky in the first quarter, like almost a lot of respect in a way. We looked a little shaky and they came together and played well about halfway through the third quarter and then Murray took over and Jokic took over.”
NEXT
Nuggets: At Dallas on Sunday night.
Spurs: host Brooklyn on Sunday night.
