The Nuggets benched their entire starting lineup following a grueling double-overtime loss to the Timberwolves, ultimately falling to the Spurs 113-106. After playing 53 minutes the night before, Nikola Jokic was sidelined, a decision coach Michael Malone said was non-negotiable.
Fans at Ball Arena remained standing in awkward silence as Denver failed to score early, trailing 9-0 within three minutes. Though they fought back, the Nuggets couldn’t complete the comeback. Russell Westbrook, bouncing back from a costly mistake against Minnesota, led the effort with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Jalen Pickett recorded his first NBA triple-double with 17 points, 11 boards, and 10 assists. However, Westbrook went scoreless in the fourth quarter, and the Spurs sealed the game with a late 25-13 run.
Malone considered resting Westbrook as well, but the veteran refused, playing 78 minutes across two nights. Meanwhile, Jokic’s absence was mandatory after his career-high 61-point performance the previous game.
With multiple players out, including Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., Denver relied on Hunter Tyson’s 18 points and DeAndre Jordan’s 17 rebounds. Despite a brief five-point lead, the shorthanded Nuggets couldn’t hold on, slipping to fourth place in the Western Conference with five games left.
