Thrre-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has triumphed with a huge performance as Denver edged out Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio 136-134 in overtime in a Western Conference heavyweight showdown.
The Serbian centre had 40 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and three blocks as the host Nuggets snapped the Spurs’ 11-game winning streak on Saturday.
Wembanyama finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots for the Spurs, who lost for only the third time in their last 30 games.
Jokic had 16 of his points in the final 14 minutes of the game including overtime, while Denver held rival superstar centre Wembanyama to 1 for 4 shooting in that span.
Sitting fourth in the West, the Nuggets improved to 50-28 for the season while the second-placed Spurs are 59-19.
In a strong team effort, Christian Braun added 21 points for Denver while Cameron Johnson scored 17, Jamal Murray finished with 15 points and 10 assists and Aaron Gordon scored 15.
Gordon scored with 6.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, then forced Wembanyama into a miss on the final shot of regulation.
Stephon Castle scored 20 points for San Antonio, while Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie each scored 18 for the Spurs.
Wembanyama scored with 9:08 remaining to put San Antonio up 107-96. The Spurs were 48-2 this season in games where they held double-digit leads in the fourth quarter.
They’re 48-3 now — with two of those losses against the Nuggets, who rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth to beat San Antonio on March 12.
