The final buzzer at the Frost Bank Center carried little urgency for the San Antonio Spurs—but it still told a story. San Antonio came into the regular season finale on Sunday already locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, so missing key pieces for rest and injury management, the Spurs fell 128-118 to the Denver Nuggets in a game exposed both vulnerability and perspective heading into the postseason.
Even with a limited run from Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets controlled stretches of the game
and never fully let the Spurs recover. Jokić made his presence felt early, tallying 23 points and eight rebounds, all in the first half, before sitting in the second half after securing eligibility for postseason awards.
Despite missing all their starters, apart from Jokic, it was Denver’s supporting cast that delivered the knockout blows. Julian Strawther erupted for 25 points, while the Nuggets’ bench fueled a decisive second-quarter surge. A massive 20-0 run in a period of six minutes turned a competitive game into an uphill battle San Antonio couldn’t climb out of.
“I thought the effort was consistent,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “It’s time to regroup and we’ve got five or six days to prepare. We need to be prepared and as sharp as we can.”
The Spurs, meanwhile, looked like a team managing the bigger picture. Without Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet, San Antonio struggled defensively and on the glass. Still, they found offense in spurts. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 24 points, while multiple players reached double figures in a balanced but inconsistent attack . Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson added key contributions, helping the Spurs trim the deficit late, but never enough to truly threaten.
Every time San Antonio pushed, Denver answered.
The Nuggets stretched their lead to double digits multiple times in the second half, leaning on timely shooting and second-chance opportunities. Even as the Spurs made a late push to cut the margin to single digits, Denver’s composure sealed the outcome.
The loss snapped the regular season to a close at 62-20 for San Antonio, a remarkable turnaround and a 34-win improvement from the previous year. More importantly, it marked the end of a drought, sending the Spurs back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
“We’ve flipped our minds towards the playoffs,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “We’re excited and we’re expecting to make a long run in it.”
“Regardless, it is playoff basketball,” he added. “Seeding to us really doesn’t matter. Like Mitch said, just win the game in front of you, so we’re focused on that.”
And while this finale won’t linger as a defining moment, it did offer a preview. If these two teams meet again in the postseason, the margin for error will be razor thin.
“It’s been a hell of a year,” Spurs forward Carter Bryant. “I’m ready. I’m excited for the postseason.”
Sunday night showed that even a shorthanded Denver squad has the firepower—and depth—to challenge San Antonio. But for the Spurs, the real season is just beginning.
Game Notes
- Carter Bryant is playing with supreme confidence and that’s going to make him a dangerous player come playoff time and for years to come. He finished with 13 points and three blocks. If he puts those kind of numbers up in the postseason, he will be a secret weapon for San Antonio.
- Stephon Castle made his return to the lineup, scoring 10 points on 30 percent shooting.
- For Spurs fans worried about Denver in round 2, let’s focus on round 1 first. Also, the bright side is that this is the worst the Spurs will be for the foreseeable future. The fact they finished 62-20 after winning just 34 games a year ago is insane. Breathe. It’s going to be fun .
- The Spurs had three chances from the three-point line late to cut into Denver’s lead and couldn’t convert. The basketball Gods might have wanted them to take the hard road for their first playoff run in 6 years.
