Nikola Jokic Secures Award Eligibility as Denver Nuggets Clinch Third Seed with 128-118 Win Over Spurs

SAN ANTONIO — Denver Nuggets defeated San Antonio Spurs 128-118 in the NBA, with Nikola Jokic leading the way by reaching 65 games played to secure his eligibility for major awards, while clinching the third seed in the Western Conference.

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The game began with Denver Nuggets focused on imposing their pace from the opening moments. With Nikola Jokic active from the start despite physical concerns, the visiting team quickly found advantages thanks to their offensive fluidity and high collective level.

The turning point came in the second quarter, when Denver Nuggets definitively broke open the game with a devastating 22-0 run. For nearly nine minutes, San Antonio Spurs was unable to score, allowing the Colorado team to open a significant gap on the scoreboard (63-40). During that stretch, Nikola Jokic contributed 11 points, well supported by Curtis Jones, who added 10 in that period.

Before halftime, Jokic had already made his mark: 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, plus 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block in just over 18 minutes. With that performance, the Serbian center reached 65 games played in the NBA season, the essential requirement to be eligible for awards such as MVP or All-NBA.

In the second half, Denver Nuggets managed the lead without Jokic on the court, relying on balanced play in which seven players finished in double figures. Julian Strawther led the scoring with 25 points, while Jonas Valanciunas posted a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds, solidifying the visitors' dominance.

San Antonio Spurs attempted a comeback led by De'Aaron Fox, who scored 24 points, and with the complete contribution of Stephon Castle, who nearly recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists in his return. However, the accumulated deficit was too large to change the outcome.

Denver Nuggets' victory in this matchday allows them to finish the regular season with a record of 54-28 and secure the third seed in the Western Conference.

San Antonio Spurs saw their three-game winning streak snapped and will enter the playoffs from the seventh seed, pending the outcome of the play-in tournament.

Denver Nuggets will face Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs with home-court advantage, while San Antonio Spurs must await their definitive opponent following the play-in tournament in the West.