**ESPN:** [recap](https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401585808) – [boxscore](https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401585808) – [gamecast](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401585808) | **NBA.com:** [boxscore](https://www.nba.com/game/0022301180) – [shotchart](https://www.nba.com/game/0022301180/game-charts)
||**Q1**|**Q2**|**Q3**|**Q4**|**Final**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**DEN**|**31**|**37**|**32**|**20**|**120**|[](/DEN)|
**SAS**|**32**|**18**|**37**|**34**|**121**|[](/SAS)|
**Team**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
[](/DEN)**DEN**|**49-97 (50.5)**|**13-36 (36.1)**|**9-10 (90.0)**|**5**|**32**|**31**|**6**|**9**|**4**|**19**|**120**|
[](/SAS)**SAS**|**45-85 (52.9)**|**15-33 (45.5)**|**16-23 (69.6)**|**11**|**49**|**31**|**18**|**2**|**4**|**13**|**121**|
**[](/DEN)DEN**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
M. Porter Jr.^^SF|29:14|5-14 (35.7)|1-5 (20.0)|3-3 (100.0)|0|3|0|1|0|0|2|14|-7|
A. Gordon^^PF|28:55|6-6 (100.0)|1-1 (100.0)|0-0 (0.0)|2|4|4|0|1|0|1|13|+1|
N. Jokic^^C|38:33|9-13 (69.2)|1-2 (50.0)|3-3 (100.0)|2|6|12|3|2|1|5|22|-1|
K. Caldwell-Pope^^SG|28:42|2-6 (33.3)|1-4 (25.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|1|1|0|1|0|0|5|-7|
J. Murray^^PG|29:02|14-26 (53.8)|5-11 (45.5)|2-2 (100.0)|0|5|4|1|1|0|1|35|-4|
C. Braun|22:46|4-7 (57.1)|2-4 (50.0)|1-2 (50.0)|0|4|3|1|0|2|2|11|+9|
R. Jackson|18:58|3-9 (33.3)|0-2 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|1|4|0|2|0|2|6|+3|
P. Watson|19:05|3-8 (37.5)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|1|6|0|0|1|1|2|6|-2|
J. Holiday|15:18|3-7 (42.9)|2-6 (33.3)|0-0 (0.0)|0|1|2|0|1|0|1|8|+3|
Z. Nnaji|9:27|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|1|1|0|0|0|3|0|0|
**Totals**||**49-97 (50.5)**|**13-36 (36.1)**|**9-10 (90.0)**|**5**|**32**|**31**|**6**|**9**|**4**|**19**|**120**||
**DNP:** ***Collin Gillespie***, ***DeAndre Jordan***, ***Braxton Key***, ***Julian Strawther***, ***Hunter Tyson***
**Inactive:** ***Vlatko Cancar***, ***Jay Huff***, ***Jalen Pickett***
**[](/SAS)SAS**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
J. Champagnie^^SF|37:12|4-5 (80.0)|2-3 (66.7)|4-4 (100.0)|1|5|2|1|0|0|0|14|+11|
S. Mamukelashvili^^PF|30:23|8-14 (57.1)|3-5 (60.0)|2-4 (50.0)|2|12|2|2|0|1|3|21|-1|
V. Wembanyama^^C|36:49|12-27 (44.4)|5-12 (41.7)|5-7 (71.4)|1|12|5|7|1|2|1|34|-11|
B. Wesley^^SG|19:03|1-2 (50.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|1|4|1|0|0|2|2|-28|
T. Jones^^PG|38:33|6-11 (54.5)|1-2 (50.0)|1-3 (33.3)|0|6|10|3|0|0|1|14|+17|
D. Graham|31:34|4-11 (36.4)|2-7 (28.6)|1-2 (50.0)|2|4|5|2|0|0|0|11|+6|
Z. Collins|21:27|5-9 (55.6)|2-3 (66.7)|3-3 (100.0)|3|6|3|2|1|1|0|15|-4|
S. Cissoko|16:35|4-5 (80.0)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|2|3|0|0|0|0|5|8|+14|
D. Duke Jr.|8:24|1-1 (100.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|1|2|+1|
**Totals**||**45-85 (52.9)**|**15-33 (45.5)**|**16-23 (69.6)**|**11**|**49**|**31**|**18**|**2**|**4**|**13**|**121**||
**DNP:** ***Jamaree Bouyea***, ***RaiQuan Gray***
**Inactive:** ***Dominick Barlow***, ***Charles Bassey***, ***Malaki Branham***, ***Keldon Johnson***, ***Cedi Osman***, ***Jeremy Sochan***, ***Devin Vassell***
||**PITP**|**2^^nd PTS**|**FB PTS**|**BIG LD**|**BEN PTS**|**TOT TOV**|**TOV PTS**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**DEN**|60|16|15|23|31|8|19|[](/DEN)|
**SAS**|56|18|20|3|36|18|11|[](/SAS)|
**Lead Changes: 18** | **Times Tied: 7** | **Gametime: 2:08** | **Attendance: 18665**
*Officials: John Goble, Eric Dalen, Jonathan Sterling*
by BigHoneyBot
50 Comments
https://x.com/hpbasketball/status/1778978855463555291?s=46&t=5AjO8Pr_nc-E6bQ0v5Gs9Q
Funny enough, none of teams 1-3 “control their destiny.” And even more funny/crazy. All 3 teams play at the same time Sunday. So trying to tank based on Sunday outcomes will likely not be a thing this season
Posting one last comment here for today/night. Take a break from reddit for today/night go to sleep and calm down. WE ARE NOT OUT OF PLAYOFFS. Im going to sleep cuz its 5am for us in Serbia rn for u guys its a bit ealry to sleep for friday so grab a drink and enjoy the night. Come back in the morning when u are calm.
PS. Stay off Twitter ( X ) as well
Thunder gonna end up the 1 seed they play Dallas on Sunday and they got nothing to play for + LuKai already out
Pelicans destroying them lol
Last June when we won the title I said I’d never complain about anything Nuggets-related ever again. Tonight REALLY tested that but it still holds. Absolutely stinks we blew that but gotta move forward and get the job done in the playoffs now regardless of opponent. I ain’t giving up on this team.
At least Jokic is the center with most assists in a season now.
Anyone want to talk about Elden Ring?
There you go, Pels!
Can the nugs learn how to jump and put their hands up to grab a rebound
I’m watching more fallout tonight. I love it.
We had just beat minny! We had the fucking 1 seed! We have a twenty point lead. What the fuck!?
Thus was the moment. The Nuggets are supposed to rise to the moment.
I think this is the best case scenario that we play Pels in first round. We then have to pray Lakers get the 7-seed and beat the Wolves so we can play them in the second round. All of this may be a blessing in disguise like the Warriors getting the 3-seed in 2022
The 5 sec violation at the end was like the 4th time this season that they failed to inbound and get the ball in or get a good look at the end , hopefully we dont get into that type of endings in the playoffs 😅
Enough much justified “dooming.” We are all Pelicans fans tonight, and Mavs & Suns (🤮) fans on Sunday.
There’s still hope to get that 1 seed fellas.
Pathetic. Genuinely question if this team makes it out of the 2nd round with their inability to maintain a lead.
Bro, Mavs have already announced that Doncic and Kyrie are sitting the final game and people are still in their copium thinking the Mavs will try against OKC
Fire Malone?
https://i.redd.it/kcdxwkzsx5uc1.gif
Pelicans win means that we can rest players in the final game against Memphis too.
Locks Pels into 6, Phoenix game has no impact standings wise.
Season over
Best case scenario, Lakers 7th seed beats PHX to play Thunder round 1. suns play TWolves as an 8th seed
Suns just have to beat the Wolves, that’s all we need
I blame AG personally for his dogshit perimeter defensive effort. Allowing unimpeded drives to rim possession after possession
Jokic with <10 rebounds is always a horrible sign
Bunch of doomers in this thread, has this team not earned your trust by now? Jesus Christ.
Dear lord why am I wasting my time arguing with a Celtics fan in a Nuggets thread about why I’m not afraid of them. This flu has made me crazy.
On the bright side Jokic has 7 out of 7 1st place votes on confirmed ballots so far
Well, if do manage to win this whole thing again, no one will say that bullshit about us having the “easiest path”
Anyone find it weird how Aaron Gordon being top 5 in the league for athleticism doesn’t really have a highlight blocks package?
Tbh, is much better let OKC handle Warriors or Lakers, we don’t need such a problem early on the playoffs.
I had been watching that Braun/Watson dunk sequence against the Wolves all day. Now it just feels so empty watching it.
The funny thing is that Thunder fans are upset they might get Lakers round 1. And we wanted them soooo bad. Just shows there’s levels to this shit
Depends entirely on the results of the final game and the playoffs – but this could be in contention for the worst (regular season) loss in franchise history
I have never felt dumber than I have trying to figure out tiebreakers.
Question:
Do we rest players against Memphis and start preparing for the 3 vs 6 matchup?
Or do we play them and hope for a miracle to get 1 or 2 seed?
Noting all Denver, Minnesota and OKC game start at the same time.
I feel like we do this thing where we like to exert the exact minimum effort needed to win. It bit us in the ass this game.
I hate the idea of “reminder games”. Like this group has been together long enough to not need those reminders. Like you should be aware that teams can come back.
Calling .moving screens on sabonis. That’s why u don’t want Phoenix in round 1.
Nba loves them
Honestly believe that it is a good thing to avoid the Mavs side of the bracket. They are our most difficult opponent, they are the most in-form team in the league and they have two playoff proven stars. Meanwhile OKC or MIN has proven jack shit except for play-in exits and first round losses. Home court advantage is valuable, but experience matters more.
Our opponent in the first round will be more difficult, but if we cant beat Pels/Lakers/Kings/Warriors or whoever, then good fucking riddance.
Hey remember last year even as the 1 seed some of you STILL doubted this team? Post after post after post with “I’m afraid of Minnesota” “Im afraid of LA” “I’m afraid of OKC.” The best team this franchise has seen in decades and being a 3 seed scares you guys? Please, grow up
I am in no way shape or form forgiving this team for what they did tonight. But for the love of god, if you can’t be confident in this team no matter their seeding, kindly go somewhere else. This team has a top 5 player with an amazing supporting cast around him. I think they can do it again
This borderline ruined my night. I know we’re still the same team, with the same ceiling. But fuuuuuuuuck.
Why fuck around? I get the season’s boring at times, but lock up the 1 seed
It’ll be funny if we’re all bitching about this loss then come Sunday both wolves and thunder lose and we win 😂
A timely wake-up call.
Aight it’s been an hour I’m over it. Let’s get that chip babeyyyyy!
At the end of the day, one seed is nice but it is so far from a necessity to win a championship. I still believe Nuggs are the best team and in a best of 7, the better team always wins regardless of home court. Don’t get me wrong though, frustrating when all you had to do was beat SAS and Memphis to wrap it up.
BTW I wasn’t a fan of Malone telling the team stay down let them shoot 3’s. You don’t play the game based off season percentage, you adjust based on what’s happening. If a team is hitting their 3’s, run them off the 3pt line. They shot 45% from 3. When MPJ and CB ran them off the line, he flipped shit. They made 2 more crucial 3’s after to stay in it.
Looking likes it’s gonna be the Pels.
Nuggets should still want to win the last game. It’ll cause a 3 way tie if everyone wins out and it’d mean we get okc round 2. If us or okc loses, we get Wolves round 2
Jokic wrist is hurt. No other reason he would only shoot 7 shots after the 1st. Let him rest. He’s gonna be insane in the playoffs. Be strong. Fuck this one hurt though
This loss would actually be perfect if OKC got 2 but playing the Pels in the first half round would be nice