Jokic, Nuggets rise above Spurs to reclaim West top spot

Nikola Jokic scored a game-high 31 points and Jamal Murray added a double-double, as the defending champion Denver Nuggets ground the San Antonio Spurs, 117-106, to reclaim the top spot in the West.

Joker scores 31 points as the @nuggets get the win and move into 1st in the Western Conference! 🃏🏔?

31 PTS | 13-19 FGM | 7 REB | 5 AST | 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/8KGU3xDbYT

— NBA (@NBA) March 16, 2024

The reigning Finals MVP added seven rebounds, five dimes and went 13-out-of-19 in the field.

Murray had 15 of his, grabbed 10 boards and dished out seven assists for the Nuggets, who won their fifth straight. Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun, and Justin Holiday all chipped in 13 markers in a well-balanced team win for Coach Michael Malone.

Nuggets basketball pic.twitter.com/MJREaWGZjt

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 16, 2024

Denver shot 55% from the field and led by as many as 21 points, while also dominating inside with 64-44 paint points advantage.

Let's get back to it ? pic.twitter.com/s1VRIrofs8

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 16, 2024

Denver’s air-tight defense on Spurs rookie Victor Wembenyama became a major factor as the reigning NBA Rookie of the Month struggled with 17 points on a poor 4-of-12 shooting.

The Spurs got a team-high 19 points from Jeremy Sochan while Devin Vassell, Zach Collins, and Julian Champagnie combined for 40 points.

With sights set on an upset win in the final frame, San Antonio instead fell victim to a steady dose of points from Murray and Braun, as the Nuggets eased past the Spurs for what quickly became a convincing win.

Denver (47-20) now has a half-game lead over the second-running Oklahoma City Thunder (46-20) for the top spot in the West, while the already-eliminated San Antonio (14-53) fell to a third-straight loss to remain as the cellar-dwellers of the conference.