[NBA Cup] Nuggets Squander 18-Point Lead, Fall 136-139 to Spurs… Quarterfinal Hopes Dashed
Jamal Murray reaches 10,000 career points in vain Wembanyama-less Spurs explode for 44 points in the 3rd quarter to stage massive comeback
(Denver, CO = Won Jeong) The Denver Nuggets packed their bags early in the NBA Cup tournament after letting a sure victory slip through their fingers on their home court.
On November 28 (local time), the Nuggets fell to the San Antonio Spurs 136-139 in an NBA Cup group stage matchup at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. With this loss, Denver’s elimination from the group stage is confirmed, while San Antonio dramatically clinched a spot in the quarterfinals.
Until the first half, the momentum belonged entirely to Denver. The Nuggets closed out the second quarter with an explosive 23-6 run, finishing the half with a commanding 74-59 lead. Early in the third quarter, when Jamal Murray drained a three-pointer to extend the gap to 18 points, a comfortable Denver victory seemed all but guaranteed.
However, the tide turned drastically in the second half. Despite playing without franchise star Victor Wembanyama (calf injury) and rookie Stephon Castle (hip injury), the Spurs displayed incredible firepower. San Antonio poured in a staggering 44 points in the third quarter alone, completely dismantling Denver’s defense.
Devin Vassell had the hot hand for the Spurs. Vassell led the team’s offense with 33 points, including seven three-pointers. Julian Champagnie also played a pivotal role in the comeback, recording a career-high-level performance with 25 points and 10 rebounds. De’Aaron Fox orchestrated the game, contributing 15 points and 12 assists.
For Denver, Jamal Murray’s efforts were left as a bittersweet footnote. Murray scored a team-high 37 points and became the fifth player in franchise history to reach the 10,000-point milestone. Cam Johnson (28 points) and Nikola Jokic (21 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds) also did their part, but they could not stop the team’s defensive collapse.
After a fierce back-and-forth battle late in the fourth quarter, the basketball gods smiled on the Spurs. In the final seconds, Murray attempted a game-tying three-pointer, but it missed the mark, forcing Denver to accept a painful three-point defeat.
In a post-game interview, Denver’s Peyton Watson expressed his disappointment, stating, “A loss like today’s has to be a lesson for us. We need to clearly realize what we lacked and use this as an opportunity to get better.”
With gaping holes in their defensive organization exacerbated by injuries to Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, Denver’s challenge for the NBA Cup title has come to an end. Meanwhile, the Spurs, overcoming the absence of key players to land a massive upset, are headed to the quarterfinals in high spirits.
