**ESPN:** [recap](https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401468309) – [boxscore](https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401468309) – [gamecast](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401468309) | **NBA.com:** [boxscore](https://www.nba.com/game/0022200154) – [shotchart](https://www.nba.com/game/0022200154/game-charts)
||**Q1**|**Q2**|**Q3**|**Q4**|**Final**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**DEN**|**28**|**37**|**29**|**21**|**115**|[](/DEN)|
**SAS**|**28**|**34**|**27**|**20**|**109**|[](/SAS)|
**Team**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
[](/DEN)**DEN**|**47-88 (53.4)**|**8-24 (33.3)**|**13-20 (65.0)**|**8**|**40**|**33**|**20**|**14**|**7**|**14**|**115**|
[](/SAS)**SAS**|**43-82 (52.4)**|**12-33 (36.4)**|**11-18 (61.1)**|**10**|**38**|**31**|**24**|**14**|**5**|**17**|**109**|
**[](/DEN)DEN**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
M. Porter Jr.^^SF|30:19|9-16 (56.3)|4-8 (50.0)|2-2 (100.0)|0|6|2|0|1|0|2|24|+3|
A. Gordon^^PF|29:42|3-5 (60.0)|0-1 (0.0)|3-5 (60.0)|2|5|5|0|4|1|1|9|+10|
N. Jokic^^C|33:57|11-20 (55.0)|0-1 (0.0)|4-5 (80.0)|1|8|10|4|2|3|2|26|+15|
K. Caldwell-Pope^^SG|31:36|5-8 (62.5)|1-3 (33.3)|0-0 (0.0)|0|4|3|2|3|0|1|11|+17|
J. Murray^^PG|31:38|9-17 (52.9)|0-3 (0.0)|1-3 (33.3)|1|5|6|4|1|0|1|19|+10|
B. Hyland|23:24|5-10 (50.0)|3-5 (60.0)|1-2 (50.0)|0|2|1|5|2|0|3|14|-9|
B. Brown|24:43|1-5 (20.0)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|3|1|1|2|2|2|-6|
J. Green|18:07|3-5 (60.0)|0-2 (0.0)|0-1 (0.0)|1|2|1|1|0|1|1|6|-4|
D. Jordan|14:03|1-2 (50.0)|0-0 (0.0)|2-2 (100.0)|3|8|1|2|0|0|1|4|-9|
C. Braun|2:30|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|1|1|0|0|0|0|+3|
**Totals**||**47-88 (53.4)**|**8-24 (33.3)**|**13-20 (65.0)**|**8**|**40**|**33**|**20**|**14**|**7**|**14**|**115**||
**DNP:** ***Vlatko Cancar***, ***Davon Reed***
**Inactive:** ***Collin Gillespie***, ***Zeke Nnaji***, ***Ish Smith***, ***Peyton Watson***, ***Jack White***
**[](/SAS)SAS**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
K. Johnson^^SF|35:40|12-20 (60.0)|5-11 (45.5)|1-2 (50.0)|1|5|2|6|2|0|2|30|-17|
J. Sochan^^PF|28:21|1-4 (25.0)|0-2 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|2|4|2|0|2|1|2|2|-3|
J. Poeltl^^C|31:48|2-3 (66.7)|0-0 (0.0)|0-2 (0.0)|0|7|9|3|2|3|1|4|-12|
D. Vassell^^SG|34:07|6-17 (35.3)|3-8 (37.5)|2-3 (66.7)|0|3|4|3|2|0|0|17|-4|
T. Jones^^PG|33:21|9-13 (69.2)|1-2 (50.0)|1-1 (100.0)|1|3|9|3|3|0|3|20|-6|
D. McDermott|19:04|3-7 (42.9)|1-4 (25.0)|2-3 (66.7)|0|1|1|0|0|0|1|9|-1|
K. Bates-Diop|12:01|1-4 (25.0)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|2|4|0|2|1|0|1|2|+3|
J. Richardson|27:40|8-11 (72.7)|2-5 (40.0)|4-5 (80.0)|1|3|3|6|1|0|3|22|+10|
C. Bassey|15:42|1-3 (33.3)|0-0 (0.0)|1-2 (50.0)|3|8|1|1|1|1|3|3|+6|
I. Roby|2:14|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|1|0|-6|
**Totals**||**43-82 (52.4)**|**12-33 (36.4)**|**11-18 (61.1)**|**10**|**38**|**31**|**24**|**14**|**5**|**17**|**109**||
**DNP:** ***Malaki Branham***, ***Gorgui Dieng***, ***Jordan Hall***
**Inactive:** ***Dominick Barlow***, ***Zach Collins***, ***Romeo Langford***, ***Blake Wesley***
||**PITP**|**2^^nd PTS**|**FB PTS**|**BIG LD**|**BEN PTS**|**TOT TOV**|**TOV PTS**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**DEN**|62|11|18|11|26|22|35|[](/DEN)|
**SAS**|54|16|16|7|36|24|24|[](/SAS)|
**Lead Changes: 25** | **Times Tied: 11** | **Gametime: 2:11** | **Attendance: 11574**
*Officials: Brian Forte, Nick Buchert, Matt Myers*
by BigHoneyBot
25 Comments
Man I think Hastings was really good on the sideline tonight. His recaps of what the team talked about during times were really good. His quick postgame interview of Jokic felt comfortable and Jokic gave good answers.
Katy in the booth is equally as good. Her breakdowns during the game about the X’s and O’s are insightful.
Would love to see more of that broadcast config.
This team might be decent at the game of basketball.
This team is gonna be so special. We have missed the heart Murray brings. The flashy he brings out and the energy. Jokic dominates in a way that frustrates you as a defender. Good defense just doesn’t beat great offense. KCP was the greatest trade we could do and I think next summer we may ask if it was the best in Nuggets history. Bruce & KCP are hellish on the perimeter. Bones struggled tonight. Sloppy and a lot of tunnel vision. MPJ may shoot 50% from deep all year. DJ is a great signing. He has done so well for us, even though he has moments that make you throw your hands up. Murray has been going at it on the defensive end and I think thats gonna be huge for us later in the year. Gordon not to active on offense tonight but he helps Murray, KCP & Bruce create so much chaos for the other team on the defensive end. Its gonna be a fun fun season!
Weird game. Refs wanted control over the points like they had money on it, Jokic visibly annoyed all night, a win without the winning feeling.
I love this team but tonight was not a vibe.
The help is finally here for Jokic. Jokic / Murray duo is back. MPJ / Bones 3s bros
So happy to see Jamal being Jamal. He looks great out there
Jok looked off tonight and nearly had another triple double. Also I think Malone needs to take bones out when he gets cold. The Spurs started to come back when we stopped getting points in the paint
Jokic is at 11.8 FGA, there’s no way he’ll have 17.7 / 18 FGA like his MVP seasons. Prior to those seasons he had 14.7 / 15.1 FGA which is closer to what he’ll probably average this season.
It’s tough to beat a team twice in a couple days. Imma just be happy we won
Need to ask this. Luke blue or geen sabre?
Go nuggets. Now please go vote tomorrow
Every starter had at least 4 boards. I’m sure at least 2 were stolen from Joker.
This team is such a joy to watch man
I called it we’d have a down shooting night haha. (After the half obviously)- incredibly happy to see we can still piece it together. Mostly via Murray’s offense imo. He’s such a great competitor. Huge win for us. You know pop hates losing 4 in a row, and hates losing two in a row to the same team.
Porter’s hands
There were multiple points where I was worried that the nuggets would panic spiral and they never did. That’s something that contending teams do, I hope the squad keeps it up.
3-0 in games decided by 6 points or fewer.
If we manage to stay healthy I think we’re finishing as a top two seed in the west and probably a favorite to make a Finals run. Should be a fun season!
regular 4/8 MPJ
Excited for the Celtics game. Gonna be a big study on how this team matches against top tier NBA
Nuggets 4th quarter defense, the last 3 games has been impressive. 98.6 defensive rating in the 4th quarter. They may not be consistent for an entire game, but they are excellent situational defenders, and that has shown in previous years.
Happy to see MPJ have a positive reaction to not finish the game, but ultimately playing Brown and KCP locked the Spurs’ guards down and forced enough TOs to win this game
Jamal has blown me away with how quickly he’s gotten into rhythm. His passing seems even better than ever. I think he spent a lot of time while out studying the game. It’s been so fun to witness.
Also, the Nuggets offense is unstoppable. The way they can score in transition has been a revelation. I like the faster pace we’ve seen.
Lastly, the length of the starters is very disruptive. The amount of passes they got their hands on tonight really stood out to me. The communication will only improve, and they are going to really bother opposing offenses.
If Porter isn’t closing as we’re playing Murray & Jokic ball in the clutch it’s fine. KCP-Brown-AG are a formidable defensive trio and a group of good, reliable offensive role players to play off of the beforementioned 2 man game.
But then call Mike’s number more when he’s staggered with the bench. He’s currently averaging 18 on 65% TS. 2021 he averaged 18 on 66% TS. On a worse team he could be a 26 ppg scorer on 62% TS. No, but unironically free MPJ lol. He’s way too good at the moment not to warrant more usage.
Give him more on ball reps with the bench. Let him pull up with his shaky dribble or in a triple threat position. Set a few high PnR screens for him. **Let’s atleast see what happens**. He’s used kind of like a supercharged Duncan Robinson. I mean, his handle is definitely suspect but you don’t improve that without ingame reps, which he really isn’t getting any of.
And if he gets that triple threat/post up Melo/Tatum pull up kind of thing down, it’s absolutely **invaluable** in a playoff setting as a shotclock release valve. And he has prime tools for it with his size and contested shotmaking. And he also **absolutely** deserves those reps to expand his game at his current efficiency. Porter is a higher level scorer than just someone who finds shots in the flow of the offense.
I mean I think Porter’s usage with the starters is fine, Jok looks for him, but with the bench man Bones should NOT be your #1 with Porter on the floor. Let alone Bones, we seen Mike iced for Jeff Green POST UP FADEAWAYS. You’re staggering Mike with the bench and then often he has less usage than he has with the starters?
Also Bones needs to get the offense running much quicker.
For whatever reason, SA is always a bitch to get a W in. Turnovers were annoying but overall pretty enjoyable game.
Murray was amazing. That’s the most important thing for now 🥰 And Malone really must stop playing with Jordan and Jeff together + Porter and Bones. Jordan- Jeff and Porter can’t run fast up and down together they are slow. That won’t work against strong teams. There is no defense there nor is it a good fit. Vlatko and Zeke (when he recovers) must play.
Malone is delusional if he thinks playing with Jordan and Jeff all season together. The two of them together just has no perspective especially for the playoff. Boston’s bench and other strong benches will massacre such a slow line up. I understand that Jeff is good with Malone, but the man is 36. After 10 minutes, he can’t defend anything from the outside and barely gets back in transition.
Porter kills by default and his consistency from the outside is very pleasing 👽Insane shooter, one of the best i hsve ever seen.
Jokic under a lot of contact and the refs only tolerate that on him. Some people say the league is soft. I guess only the rules from the nineties apply to Jokic lol 🙄
It will all be great if Malone stops forcing 2 slow veterans on the bench. Everything else will slide by itself 😎
Oh my god I love the Jazz? TNT with the huge dunk on the lakers. This is the best