SAN ANTONIO – Spurs fans may not have noticed because the Spurs are only two and a half games out of first place, but in their rearview mirror is a log jam of teams fighting for that third playoff spot.
The Rockets, Lakers, Nuggets and Timberwolves all have 40 wins. And Denver is here in San Antonio tonight on the second night of a back-to-back after knocking off the Rockets at home last night.
The Spurs are still waiting to see if Wemby will go tonight. He’s listed as 50-50 and a game time decision with ankle soreness. But he was out when the Spurs beat Denver earlier this year.
Denver Nuggets (40-26) at San Antonio Spurs (48-17)
Tonight at 8:00 pm
Frost Bank Center
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Spurs -5.5; over/under is 235.5
BOTTOM LINE
San Antonio comes into a matchup with Denver as winners of five games in a row.
The Spurs are 28-13 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is the NBA leader with 35.2 defensive rebounds per game led by Victor Wembanyama averaging 9.2.
The Nuggets are 24-14 in Western Conference play. Denver scores 120.4 points while outscoring opponents by 4.1 points per game.
The Spurs are shooting 48.1% from the field this season, 1.1 percentage points higher than the 47.0% the Nuggets allow to opponents. The Nuggets are shooting 49.3% from the field, 4.2% higher than the 45.1% the Spurs’ opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Spurs won 139-136 in the last matchup on Nov. 29.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Wembanyama is scoring 24.2 points per game with 11.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Spurs. De’Aaron Fox is averaging 17.3 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 52.9% over the last 10 games.
Jamal Murray is averaging 25.5 points and 7.1 assists for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is averaging 29.1 points and 12.9 rebounds while shooting 53.9% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES:
Spurs: 9-1, averaging 121.6 points, 44.8 rebounds, 30.7 assists, 7.2 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.1 points per game.
Nuggets: 5-5, averaging 121.2 points, 46.1 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 6.9 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.1 points.
INJURIES:
Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Harrison Barnes: day to day (ankle), Lindy Waters III: day to day (illness).
Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).