DeRozan leads Spurs to 119-109 win, ending Nuggets’ streak

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan had 30 points and 10 assists, Dejounte Murray scored 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs beat Denver 119-109 on Friday night to snap the Nuggets’ five-game winning streak.

San Antonio held Denver to 23 points in the final quarter for its third straight victory, all at home. The Spurs and Nuggets are both 11-8 and tied for fourth in the Western Conference.

Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 10 rebounds, and Jamal Murray added 20 points for Denver. The Nuggets had not lost since falling 109-105 to the Utah Jazz on Jan. 17.

Keldon Johnson added 18 points and Patty Mills had 17 for San Antonio.

Dejounte Murray poked the ball away from Jamal Murray and scored a contested layup over Jokic to give the Spurs a 113-103 lead with 3:08 remaining. It marked the second straight game Murray had a late steal against the opposing point guard to help the Spurs.

San Antonio built a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter and regained it two minutes into the third. The Spurs used mid-range jumpers and drives to establish both leads, finishing with 54 points in the paint.

Denver responded each time behind its stars, Jokic and Murray.

After taking just two free throws compared to 17 from the Spurs in the first half, the Nuggets had 18 free throws in the second half.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Murray injured his right hip after crashing into a stanchion near Denver’s bench with 8:49 left in the fourth quarter. Murray tumbled after charging at and fouling Mills on a 3-point attempt. Murray exited the game shortly after and spent several minutes stretching and jogging to test the hip in the team’s tunnel before returning to the game with 5:29 remaining. … Denver had won three straight against San Antonio. … The Nuggets were a franchise-best 7-2 on the road through nine games entering Friday. … JaMychal Green had three points and seven rebounds after collecting 15 points and 10 rebounds against Miami on Wednesday.

Spurs: San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who turned 72 on Thursday, recently received and did a PSA for the COVID-19 vaccination. “If we can do our part in any way, in making people feel comfortable that getting this shot is wise both for them and everybody else around them, I think we need to do it,” Popovich said. … Murray and reserves Mills, Devin Vassell, Rudy Gay and Jakob Poeltl lead all NBA lineups in defensive efficiency and in plus-minus rating per possession this season.

UP NEXT

Nuggets: Host the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Spurs: Host the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.