Nikola Jokic scored a game-high 40 points as the Denver Nuggets halted the San Antonio Spurs' 11-game winning streak with a 136-134 overtime victory. The win marks Denver's eighth consecutive triumph, solidifying their playoff position ahead of the 18 April tip-off. Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP, delivered a masterclass performance, outduelling Victor Wembanyama, who tallied 34 points. Despite holding a 107-96 lead in the fourth quarter, the Spurs failed to close the game as Denver mounted a comeback.
Both players, frontrunners for this season's MVP award, exchanged praise after the contest. Jokic told ESPN: "I think the first time I played against him, I told you guys he's going to change the league. He's going to change basketball. I still think that. And I think he has an opportunity, a chance to be the most unique basketball player to ever play the game." Wembanyama called it "an amazing game" and "one of the most fun games," adding: "It was a real test against a team that's playing for something right now. They've got the best offensive player in the world."
The Spurs remain second in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Denver's final playoff seeding is still undecided. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder face the Utah Jazz on Sunday as they chase a third straight Western Conference title. Luka Doncic, the NBA's top scorer, is out for the season with a hamstring injury, ending his MVP hopes.
Jokic's 40-point display wasn't just a stat line—it was a quiet assertion of dominance in the MVP race, even as he handed Wembanyama the spotlight. With Doncic sidelined and the Thunder chasing history, Jokic's consistency gives Denver a psychological edge heading into the playoffs. For Nigerian fans following the NBA grind, this game confirmed that individual brilliance still shapes outcomes, even in a team sport. Wembanyama may be the future, but Jokic is still running the present.
