Sliding Spurs face tall task in beating Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

The San Antonio Spurs have had a difficult run since their two best players were lost for the season because of injuries.

Without those two — Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox — the team has fallen out of the postseason race.

The Spurs will try to avoid a sixth straight loss when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, the second game of a back-to-back set for both teams.

San Antonio (31-44) lost at home 116-105 to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday after squandering a late lead.

There have been bright spots for the Spurs despite playing without their top two scorers. Wembanyama leads them in points (24.3 per game) and rebounds (11.0), and Fox is averaging 19.7 points in 17 games since coming over from Sacramento in February.

Without those two, Devin Vassell (16.3 points), rookie Stephon Castle (14.3) and Keldon Johnson (12.7) are setting the pace for San Antonio.

Castle, the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, has played well lately. He was named the Western Conference rookie of the month for March, an honor he also won in January.

Castle averaged 19.5 points, 4.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 17 games last month, but he played his best against tough competition. He had a season-high 32 points against Oklahoma City on March 2, finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds versus Cleveland on March 27, and had 22 points against Boston on March 29.

“I feel like he’s already a special talent, but the sky’s the limit for Steph,” Johnson said. “I feel like the game is already slowing down for him, but once he keeps growing … he’s going to be great.”

While the Spurs had a late arrival in Denver, the Nuggets (47-29) likely will be more fatigued after losing 140-139 in double overtime to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.

Nikola Jokic had a career-high 61 points to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his 31st triple-double of the season. He is averaging 29.7 points, 12.8 rebounds and 10.2 assists, leading Denver in all three categories.

“I’ve been fortunate to coach some great players … Nikola’s on a whole other level,” coach Michael Malone said. “People say he’s not athletic. Not many guys can do what he does.”

Jokic’s 53 minutes also were a career high and made necessary by the absences of Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal reasons).

Murray, who has missed the last two games, is second on the team in scoring at 21.6 points per contest, and Porter is third at 18.2.

Denver was ahead by one in the final seconds when Russell Westbrook stole a pass but missed a layup. He then fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker on a 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds left, and he made two free throws.

The loss left the Nuggets just a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the third seed in the Western Conference and two games behind second-place Houston.

–Field Level Media