Devin Vassell dropped a season-high 35 points, including 7-of-9 from three-point range, to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 139-136 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday at Ball Arena. The win advanced the Spurs to the NBA Cup quarterfinals, overcoming an 18-point third-quarter deficit.
Julian Champagnie added a career-best 25 points as San Antonio relied on outside shooting and capitalized on 17 Denver turnovers, scoring 30 points off mistakes. The Spurs also made 30 of 32 free throws, maintaining their edge in a back-and-forth fourth quarter.
Jamal Murray led Denver with 37 points, becoming the fifth player in franchise history to surpass 10,000 career points. Cam Johnson contributed 28 points and Nikola Jokic added 21, including a behind-the-back assist to Spencer Jones in the second quarter.
The Nuggets built a 74-59 halftime lead and extended it to 18 early in the third, but the Spurs outscored Denver 44-30 in the quarter to enter the fourth with a 104-103 advantage. Vassell’s late three-pointers and consistent scoring kept San Antonio ahead despite a furious Denver rally.
Both teams were shorthanded, with Spurs stars Victor Wembanyama (calf) and Stephon Castle (hip) out, while Denver was missing Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle). The Spurs relied on balanced shooting, with eight players hitting at least one three-pointer to compensate for Wembanyama’s absence.
San Antonio’s resilience came from combining efficient perimeter shooting with aggressive free-throw shooting, while Denver’s 53% overall field-goal rate and 41% from deep kept the contest tight until the final seconds. The Spurs’ comeback highlighted their depth and ability to respond under pressure.
The Spurs travel to Minnesota on Sunday, while the Nuggets face Phoenix on Saturday, both on the second night of back-to-back games.
