2019 ScheduleAll times ET

2019 Schedule
48-34, 2nd in Southwest
Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images
4hOhm Youngmisuk

Spurs channel Pop's 'calm' in win, force Game 7

DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge played their best all-around games together Thursday, and the Spurs kept their season alive with a 120-103 rout to force Game 7.

Pop still isn't amused after Game 6 win (0:42)
Spurs force Game 7 behind Aldridge, DeRozan (1:29)
7h

Spurs force Game 7 with 120-103 win over Nuggets

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points and DeMar DeRozan added 25 to help the San Antonio Spurs overcome Nikola Jokic's 43 points and beat the Denver Nuggets 120-103 on Thursday night, forcing a Game 7 of the opening round series.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Up 20, San Antonio is just a few minutes away from forcing a Game 7. This would be the sixth 2-versus-7 series to go the distance. All five previous series to do so were won by the second seed according to ESPN Stats and Info.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

With the Spurs fighting for their season and up 107-87, the AT&T Center is as loud as it has been this playoff series. If the young inexperienced Denver Nuggets thought closing out Game 6 in hostile territory would be the hardest thing they've ever had to do, now they're staring at the pressure of what will be a first-ever Game 7 for many of them.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

San Antonio opened the fourth with what looks like a season-preserving 15-2 run. The Spurs are getting second looks and have knocked down three 3-pointers early in the fourth to open up a 105-87 lead with 7:27 left. A frustrated Michael Malone called for timeout after the Nuggets gave up an offensive rebound and 3 as the AT&T Center erupted.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Nikola Jokic enters the fourth quarter with the possibility of collecting a 40-point triple-double. The Nuggets All-Star has been unstoppable, draining 3-pointers and scoring at will inside. He already had a playoff career-high 33 points to go with nine rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes. Denver, though, will have to play much better defense in the fourth. San Antonio is shooting a scorching 59% from the field. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge have combined to make 18-of-28 shots in the first three quarters.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

If the Spurs are going to go down in six, they're going to go down with their stars playing perhaps their best together at the same time in this series. DeMar DeRozan is having a terrific all-around game with 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds and is cooking with his mid-range game. Meanwhile, LaMarcus Aldridge already has a double-double in the third with 22 points and 10 rebounds. A major problem for San Antonio is Nikola Jokic, who is having his most aggressive scoring game with 31 points, nine rebounds and seven assists with 2:25 remaining in the third.

DeRozan scores twice in less than 1 second to end half (0:46)

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

DeMar DeRozan has his bread and butter mid-range game going here in the third quarter. He has scored three baskets early in the third and might be starting to warm up for the Spurs.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

With 10:28 remaining in the third, Jamal Murray went down after running into a screen. The Nuggets called timeout and Murray got up shortly after holding his left thigh and tried walking off the injury to the bench.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Nikola Jokic continued to do what he does best and flirted with a triple-double in the first half. He had 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in his first 20 minutes. The Nuggets' starters carried Denver in the first half. Gary Harris and Jamal Murray both scored 11 points each and Paul Millsap added 10 points as the Nuggets got just nine points from their usually energetic and active bench. The Spurs' second unit has shown up in this do-or-die game. Rudy Gay had 14 points and Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli had six points each. Gregg Popovich opted to play just three Spurs off the bench in the half.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Jamal Murray came to life and scored all 11-of-his-first-half points in the last six minutes of the second quarter. But DeMar DeRozan closed the half hitting a jumper while being fouled. He missed the free throw but rebounded his own miss and put it back at the buzzer to push the Spurs to a 64-60 lead at the half.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Derrick White picked up his second and third personal fouls in a 15-second span, the latter coming when he needlessly pressured Jamal Murray and bumped him at halfcourt off an inbounds pass. As a frustrated White went back to the bench, Gregg Popovich pulled him to the side, put his arm around White's waist and talked to his young and still growing point guard. White had two points and three fouls when he went to the bench.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

For the fifth time in six games, the Spurs won the first quarter. They took a 34-24 lead into the second quarter thanks to the strong play from LaMarcus Aldridge. The Spurs went to their big man early and often and he delivered, making six-of-nine shots and scoring 13 points in the quarter. Bryn Forbes also knocked down his first three shots, anpositive sign for the Spurs. Forbes scored 15 points in San Antonio's Game 1 win. Denver's defense struggled early, allowing the Spurs to make 16-of-24 shots.

Pierce: Nuggets need to close out series in Game 6 (1:17)

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Gregg Popovich was comfortable and relaxed at his pregame session with reporters before Game 6. He gave long answers to several questions and even cracked that he had something up his sleeve for tonight when asked about if he had done research on who Bobby Fischer is.

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
2dOhm Youngmisuk

Nuggets give 'glimpse' of potential, rout Spurs

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray says he believes Denver looks as if it's beginning to see and believe in its playoff potential after a Game 5 win put the Nuggets on the verge of eliminating the Spurs.

2d

Murray scored 23 in Nuggets' 108-90 romp of Spurs

Jamal Murray's 23 points led six Nuggets in double figures and Denver routed the San Antonio Spurs 108-90 Tuesday night to move within one win of their first playoff series triumph in a decade.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Denver finally plays its best game and displays its full potential with a 108-90 rout of the Spurs. The Nuggets are starting to look like the No. 2 seed and are gaining loads of confidence. Meanwhile, San Antonio looked helpless at times and completely frustrated, falling behind by as much as 30. Seven Nuggets scored in double figures but it was Denver's starting backcourt of Jamal Murray and Gary Harris that set the tone on both ends. The two guards were flying all over, combining for 38 points, eight assists, seven 3-pointers and two blocks.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Both teams are dipping into their benches with the Nuggets comfortably up by 24 points with just over five minutes remaining and Game 6 looming in San Antonio on Thursday.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Gregg Popovich called for timeout just 22 seconds into the fourth quarter after both teams had just had the break in between quarters. Malik Beasley buried a 3-pointer to push Denver up 88-63 and Pop had seen enough. The Spurs coach didn't use the entire timeout either to talk to his team as the Spurs' five stood on the court waiting for the Denver cheerleaders to finish their routine for a few minutes.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer 

Denver is now threatening to run away with Game 5. The Nuggets opened the third quarter with a 12-2 blitz as Paul Millsap scored seven points to help the Nuggets open up a 65-44 lead with 9:21 remaining. The Spurs are shooting just 40.4% from the field and are struggling to stop Denver. Jamal Murray has 18 points and is only gaining confidence.

Team Stats

Points Per Game111.718th
Rebounds Per Game44.721st
Assists Per Game24.516th
Points Allowed110.012th

Team History

YEARWLPCT
2018-194834.585
2017-184735.573
2016-176121.744
2015-166715.817
2014-155527.671