Jokic Leads Nuggets to Eighth Straight Win Over San Antonio

The Denver Nuggets extended their winning streak to eight games on April 4, 2026, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 136-134 in an overtime contest at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

The victory ended an 11-game winning streak for the San Antonio Spurs. The game featured a high-scoring clash between two NBA MVP candidates, Nikola Jokić of the Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs.

Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets with a game-high 40 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds, and three blocks, while committing zero turnovers. This performance marked his third career game with at least 40 points, 10 assists, and three blocks, a feat achieved by only one other player, Dwyane Wade, since blocks were first tracked in the 1973-74 season.

Victor Wembanyama recorded 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists, and five blocks in the loss.

Game Progression and Key Plays

The Spurs established an early lead, scoring 43 points in the first quarter to pull away from Denver. However, the Nuggets recovered throughout the game. In the final seconds of regulation, a cutting dunk by Aaron Gordon tied the score at 124-124, forcing the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, Jokić executed a step-back jumper, known as the Sombor Shuffle, over Wembanyama. Jokić later scored a floater with 9.8 seconds remaining in the period. He sealed the victory by sinking two free throws in the final seconds of overtime.

San Antonio attempted a final play at the buzzer, resulting in a long three-pointer by Dylan Harper, but the shot was insufficient to change the outcome.

Other notable contributors for the Nuggets included Christian Braun, who scored 21 points.

Western Conference Standings and Implications

The result has significant implications for the Western Conference standings as the regular season concludes. San Antonio holds a 59-19 record and is currently second in the conference, two wins behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and 8.5 games ahead of the third-place Los Angeles Lakers.

The Denver Nuggets are currently tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the third spot in the West, with both teams having 50 wins. The Lakers are currently playing without Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić.

The win also provides a buffer for Denver against the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves, who are two and four wins, respectively, behind the fourth-place position.

Coaching Reactions

Nuggets coach David Adelman commented on the quality of the matchup between the two teams.

I would pay to watch these two teams play

David Adelman

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson highlighted the difficulty of defending Jokić, noting his ability to capitalize on minor errors.

He’s obviously the catalyst to make you pay for any subtle mistake or slippage. He has all the tricks, the counters and the skills to make you pay

Mitch Johnson

The Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs are scheduled to meet again on April 12 in San Antonio for the regular-season finale.