Victor Wembanyama Leads Spurs Past Nuggets in Nail-Biting Victory

The San Antonio Spurs visited the Mile High City and toppled a major Western Conference contender.

Jan 3, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) jump for the ball to start the game at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The San Antonio Spurs walked into Denver on Friday night and came out with a massive 113-110 win over the Nuggets, thanks to Victor Wembanyama’s monster performance and some clutch plays down the stretch.

Wembanyama showed exactly why he’s one of the league’s rising superstars, as the 7-foot-4 forward was nearly unstoppable, dropping 35 points on 14-of-22 shooting while pulling down 18 rebounds.

He also drained multiple deep 3s — some from the logo, no less — leaving the Denver crowd stunned. Sure, he had eight turnovers, but when you’re putting up numbers like that, you live with a few mistakes.

The game wasn’t decided until the final moments. With 1.1 seconds left, Devin Vassell threw down a thunderous dunk to seal the win. Vassell finished the night with 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists, doing a little bit of everything for San Antonio.

Chris Paul may not have lit up the scoreboard, but his presence was felt when it mattered most. Late in the fourth, he blew past Russell Westbrook for a crucial layup and finished the game with seven points and a gaudy 11 assists.

San Antonio’s bench came through in a big way, too. Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson were both sharp, combining for six 3-pointers. Champagnie shot 6-of-11 for 15 points, while Johnson added 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting.

On the other side, Nikola Jokic was his usual dominant self, leading the Nuggets with 41 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists. But even a night like that wasn’t enough to overcome San Antonio’s attack.

With the win, the Spurs improve to 18-16, climbing two games above .500 for the first time in a while. The Nuggets, meanwhile, fall to 19-14, letting one slip away at home.

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