Nikola Jokic scored 31 points in just three quarters to contribute to the Denver Nuggets’ 117-106 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday in Austin, Texas. The game featured a clash between the top and bottom seeds of the Western Conference standings.

Throughout the game, Denver (47-20, leading in the Western Conference) held a commanding lead, reaching a 21-point advantage in the second quarter, maintaining a nine-point lead at halftime, and extending it to seven points after the third quarter.

A 15-5 surge in the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Nuggets, with Jamal Murray’s jumper putting them ahead 101-84 with 7:20 remaining. This win marked Denver’s fifth consecutive victory and their 11th win in 12 games since the All-Star break.

In addition to Jokic’s performance, Jamal Murray contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun, and Justin Holiday each added 13 points, and Peyton Watson scored 10 points for the Nuggets.

For San Antonio, Jeremy Sochan led with 19 points, followed by Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama with 17 points each, Zach Collins with 13 points, and Julian Champagnie with 10 points. The Spurs (14-53, last in the Western Conference) suffered their third consecutive defeat, all as the home team.

The game turned in favor of Denver after a tied score of 12 points, with a 19-2 run highlighted by a hook shot from Jokic at the 2:09 mark of the first quarter, resulting in a 37-18 lead for the Nuggets after the opening quarter.

Murray’s turnaround jumper early in the second quarter extended Denver’s lead to 21 points, but San Antonio started to narrow the gap. The Spurs reduced the deficit to 47-33 after Champagnie’s 3-pointer with 6:07 left in the quarter and closed the first half with a 8-2 run, bringing the score to 58-49 at halftime.

At halftime, Jokic led all scorers with 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting, while Wembanyama was the top scorer for San Antonio with 11 points.

San Antonio managed to narrow the gap to 69-63 with a pair of free throws by Sochan at 6:31 in the third quarter. However, Denver responded with an 8-0 run, including six points from Jokic, to regain a 14-point advantage. The Nuggets maintained an 86-79 lead heading into the final quarter.

This game marked the start of a two-game series for the Spurs in Austin as part of their annual regional outreach program.