The San Antonio Spurs pulled off an upset victory over the Denver Nuggets, securing a 113-106 win on Wednesday night. Harrison Barnes led the way with 20 points, as six San Antonio players reached double figures.
Denver, playing without its regular starters, leaned on Russell Westbrook, who scored 30 points but failed to convert in the fourth quarter. Westbrook missed a key reverse layup with 4:30 left, reminiscent of his costly mistake the previous night against Minnesota.
Jaylen Pickett made the most of his second career start, recording his first triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. His layup early in the fourth quarter briefly gave the Nuggets a 90-88 lead before San Antonio responded.
The Spurs capitalized on Denver’s fatigue after their double-overtime loss to the Timberwolves. Chris Paul drilled back-to-back three-pointers to put San Antonio ahead 101-95, while Blake Wesley and Sandro Mamukelashvili sealed the win with late baskets.
Mamukelashvili also made his presence felt defensively, stripping Westbrook in the closing seconds of the first quarter and converting a breakaway dunk to give San Antonio a 33-21 lead. The Spurs led by as many as 20 points in the first half and entered the break up 66-54.
Denver battled back, closing the gap behind a stronger third quarter and Pickett’s steady playmaking. However, the Nuggets couldn’t overcome their sluggish start or Westbrook’s late-game struggles.
The Spurs remain 13th in the Western Conference at 32-44, but they have now beaten Denver twice on the road this season. Meanwhile, the Nuggets drop to 47-30, falling further behind in their race for home-court advantage in the playoffs.
San Antonio’s supporting cast stepped up in the absence of injured stars Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox. Paul contributed 17 points and eight assists, while Mamukelashvili and Wesley added 16 and 15 points off the bench, respectively.
Westbrook’s recent struggles continued after his critical miscue against Minnesota, where he missed a breakaway layup and committed a foul with 0.1 seconds remaining to seal the loss. Against San Antonio, his scoring dried up in the fourth quarter, and his missed layup proved costly.
The Nuggets were outshot from three-point range, with the Spurs connecting on 37% of their attempts compared to Denver’s 29.5%. Denver also struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 68% of their shots.
Pickett’s breakout performance was a bright spot for Denver, as was their effort in cutting a 20-point deficit. Hunter Tyson added 18 points, while DeAndre Jordan grabbed 17 rebounds in extended minutes.
