AUSTIN — — Nikola Jokic scored 31 factors and the Denver Nuggets beat San Antonio 117-106 on Friday night time in a sport performed within the Texas capital because the Spurs drew a file crowd of their bid to broaden their regional fan base.
Jamal Murray added 15 factors and 10 assists for Denver, which gained its fifth straight sport and for the eleventh time in 12 video games to stay atop the Western Convention standings.
Jeremy Sochan scored 19 factors and Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama every had 17 factors for San Antonio, which misplaced its third straight.
The Spurs have performed in Austin the final two seasons to broaden their attain financially and construct their fan base. The transfer proved a preferred alternative because the Spurs set the attendance file for a sporting occasion on the Moody Heart with 16,223 on Friday.
Nonetheless, Nuggets coach Michael Malone was involved his staff wouldn’t have the proper mindset, since Austin is just not a standard NBA metropolis.
“It has a preseason really feel to it,” Malone stated. “I hope for our gamers that when the bounce ball goes up that we perceive this isn’t the preseason, this can be a actual sport. We now have to lock in and provides it the eye and respect that it deserves.”
The sport had its difficulties logistically. Groups have been unfamiliar with the place to go within the stadium. Displays and video boards for statistics weren’t updating or have been utterly out, and Spurs radio announcer Invoice Schoening needed to ship his broadcast over his cellphone.
However, any concern Malone had about how the defending NBA champions would reply have been shortly dashed.
The Nuggets shot 55% from the sector and led by as many as 21 factors.
Wembanyama opened the sport by blocking and gathering a brief jumper by Jokic within the paint.
Regardless of the early block, Denver attacked the rim with impunity. Aaron Gordon had an alley-oop dunk one possession after dunking with Wembanyama trailing carefully. Michael Porter Jr. adopted by finishing a three-point play on a contested layup and foul by Julian Champagnie.
Porter completed with 13 factors and Gordon had seven.
Denver went on a 12-0 run within the opening quarter and constructed a 19-point lead.
The Spurs reduce their deficit to 81-77 on Keldon Johnson’s contested layup in opposition to Jokic with 1:23 remaining in third, however the Nuggets shortly rebuilt a double-digit lead within the fourth.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: At Dallas on Sunday night time.
Spurs: Host Brooklyn on Sunday night time.