San Antonio asserts itself a little more! The Spurs won a prestigious victory on the Nuggets floor on Friday (110-113) at the end of a big fight, decided in its final moments. The match within the match between Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic more than kept its promises, and it is the Frenchman who emerges victorious, even if this success is above all collective.
It was built from the start of the match, well controlled by the visitors. Clumsy from afar, the Spurs compensate with pace to take advantage of the transition defense once again at fault this season in Denver. Trailing quickly by nine points, the Nuggets came back on a first hot streak from afar with three long-distance shots in one minute. It takes the return to business of Victor Wembanyama, well helped by Julian Champagnie (9 points both in the first quarter), to keep San Antonio in control.
“Wemby” takes full advantage of the minutes without Jokic, on rest and with two fouls, to sanction the five small ball proposed by Mike Malone. Imperial on the rebound, the Frenchman adds his outside skill, and the Spurs regain their ten point lead (35-45, 16′). Denver is struggling, even with the return of the starters. Jokic takes the lead against Wembanyama and the two men arrive at the break already in a double-double. But the difference in efficiency between the two pivots (19 points at 6/16 and 10 rebounds for the Serb, 22 points at 9/12 and 13 rebounds for the Habs) tells part of this first period. Especially since after Champagnie, it’s Keldon Johnson who plays lieutenant in the second quarter (13 points), +8 Spurs at the break.
Unbreathable money time
As against the Hawks on Wednesday, halftime gives Denver some legs. Wembanyama is in a period without and is making a series of errors, the Nuggets do not need to be asked to catch up. What follows is a crazy sequence where the two teams play gunslingers, you and me, and exchange shots at long distance: seven in less than three minutes! Wembanyama out, Jokic is monstrous (18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists in the third quarter alone) but the Spurs are holding back.
Eye to eye to start the last quarter, the two teams offered a superb end to the match, full of suspense. Victor Wembanyama regains his senses and his game with two big shots from distance to give his team the advantage. But it is short-lived, since the Denver lieutenants lead a 16-6, +2 Denver entering the last five minutes. The money time is unbearable, but the Spurs have resources. Wembanyama touches the ball less but attracts the defense, the better to let Champagnie and Johnson punish. It all comes down to the last possession, where the Nuggets can turn everything around. But the Spurs defense impeccably isolates Jokic, and the pass opposite the MVP ends up in the hands of Devin Vassell. Game over, and deserved success for San Antonio.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– Duel XXL between Jokic and Wembanyama. A darkened stats line – 41 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 interceptions – but a suspicious percentage (15/36) for the first, a big double-double with skill – 35 points at 14/21, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks – but eight lost balls for “Wemby”… The clash of the titans lived up to the bill. But…
– The San Antonio collective can give him the right to dream. It was all the Spurs who led the charge in the important moments, from Chris Paul and his 11 assists to the 31 points from the Champagnie – Johnson duo coming off the bench. Everything didn’t just happen through Wembanyama, and that’s also what makes this team a more serious contender than ever for the playoffs, with only 1.5 victories behind the Nuggets, fourth, before the two teams meet next night in Texas.
