The San Antonio Spurs came back from an 18-point third-quarter deficit and had one of their best performances of the season, ultimately qualifying for the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup by defeating the Denver Nuggets 139-136 on Friday night. Devin Vassell stole the show with 35 points and 7 made three-pointers, silencing the Nuggets as they march on without Victor Wembanyama due to calf issues.
Julian Champagnie supported the Spurs’ hold of the lead with 20 points and 10-10 from the free throw line, adding to Denver’s 17 turnovers, which helped San Antonio gain 30 points. For the Nuggets, Jamal Murray posted 37 points, and Nikola Jokic posted yet another double-double. The Spurs dominated the second half of the game, having outscored Denver in the 3rd quarter 44-30, and also had a total of 17 three-pointers made. Following this result, let’s dive into the four major takeaways of this matchup.
1. Devin Vassell Played Like A Star
Devin Vassell dropped a monster 35 points in a critical game. His 12-of-17 shooting included a scorching 7-of-9 mark from beyond the arc. Every time Denver tried to create separation, Vassell answered time and time again en route to a monster third quarter. His plus-minus may have been a poor -14, but he made nearly half of San Antonio’s 17 threes.
Not to mention, Vassell was the closer as Wemby missed another game. He went 4-4 from the stripe and committed zero turnovers, which was sorely needed against a very good team. Denver tried to slow Vassell down, but it simply didn’t work. In a matchup with plenty of stars, Vassell was the game-changer, and he deserves all the praise in the world.
2. Julian Champagnie And Role Players Changed The Game
Julian Champagnie might have had his best game of the season. His 25 points on 6-of-15 shooting included three made threes, but his free-throw line efficiency, going 10-for-10, was critical. Champagnie also grabbed 10 rebounds, making him the only Spur to record a double-double. His rebounding was critical because the Nuggets won the rebounding battle 44-35 and had a 14-12 edge in offensive boards.
Credit to the Spurs bench as well. Keldon Johnson provided 14 points off the bench on 4-of-7 shooting and a strong +14 plus-minus, while Kelly Olynyk added 7 points and a steal. Lindy Waters III and Carter Bryant each knocked down threes, and Jeremy Sochan was very solid on defense. With eight Spurs hitting at least one three-pointer, San Antonio’s bench outscored Denver’s 42-31.
3. Denver’s Stars Were Great, But Turnovers Were Fatal
Denver got everything it needed from its stars. Jamal Murray scored an impressive 37 points on 13-of-20 shooting, including five threes, while Jokic posted 21 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds. Cameron Johnson added 28 points with six triples of his own. In total, Denver shot an impressive 53% from the field and 41% from three.
But the turnovers told the real story. Denver coughed the ball up 17 times, and San Antonio scored 30 points off those giveaways, more than double the Nuggets’ 14 points off turnovers. Murray and Jokic combined for 6 of the 17 turnovers, and several came during the pivotal third quarter when the Spurs flipped an 18-point deficit into a one-point game entering the fourth quarter.
4. San Antonio’s Shooting Was The Difference
The Spurs were on fire tonight, nailing 49% from the field and 40% from three while matching Denver nearly shot for shot from beyond the arc (17 makes to Denver’s 16). But San Antonio’s were especially from the free-throw line, where they converted 30 of 32 attempts, an excellent 94% mark that ultimately decided a three-point game.
Champagnie (10-for-10) and Vassell (4-for-4) combined for nearly half of the makes, and the Spurs kept the pressure on the opponent even if they didn’t have Wemby. San Antonio earned 12 trips in the fourth quarter alone and converted all 12, preventing Denver from generating fast breaks or building momentum. In a contest where both teams cleared 48% shooting and the pace was fast, the Spurs got the job done from the stripe. In a shooting league, the Spurs’ shooting was on point.
