Wetin we see for Ball Arena on Saturday na pure basketball drama. Nikola Jokic, the three-time MVP wey dey for Denver Nuggets, show say him still be the main boss. Him score 40 points, add 8 rebounds and 13 assists, to carry him team win San Antonio Spurs 136-134 for overtime. This win stop Spurs’ 11-game winning streak wey dem dey carry like champion before.
For the other side, Victor Wembanyama, the young French giant wey dey make noise for MVP talk, no gree make Jokic shine alone. Wemby, as dem dey call am, just return from one game rest because of ankle wahala. Him show face with 34 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocked shots. The match hot like pepper from beginning to end.
The thing wey make this match sweet pass na how dem dey fight for every point. For 34 minutes out of the 48 minutes wey dem play, the score difference never pass 9 points. Na real tension. Spurs lead for most part of the game, even reach 72-65 by halftime. But Nuggets no gree give up.
Small wahala even happen for first quarter. Wembanyama hand mistakenly touch Jokic for face, but referee no blow foul. This one make Nuggets coach David Adelman vex wella. Him and Aaron Gordon collect technical fouls because of how dem dey shout. The atmosphere turn to playoff mode early.
As the game dey go, Spurs still dey lead by 11 points with about 9 minutes remain for regulation time. But Nuggets begin to fight back like wounded lion. Jokic layup early for third quarter cut the deficit to just one point. The fourth quarter turn to serious tug-of-war.
The real drama come for last seconds of regulation time. With Spurs dey lead 124-122, Aaron Gordon wey Jokic pass ball give am, dunk to tie the game at 124-124 with just 6.2 seconds remain. Wembanyama get chance to win am, but him last-second jumper hit rim and bounce out. Game enter overtime.
For the extra five minutes, Gordon dunk again put Nuggets ahead for good. Jamal Murray add 15 points and 10 assists, while K.J. Johnson contribute 17 points. Gordon finish with 15 points total. After the match, Gordon talk say “It was indicative of what we can be as a group.” Him add say the win na big one because Spurs na strong team wey dey second for West.
But make we talk small about Aaron Gordon situation. Before the match, Nuggets coach David Adelman don announce say Gordon go dey on minutes limit. The man just return from hamstring and calf injuries, so dem no want risk am. Gordon be like Swiss Army knife for Denver defense, but with Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones already injured, Nuggets defense dey suffer small.
This cautious approach make sense because playoffs dey come in two weeks time. Denver don see enough injury problems this year, dem no want another one. But for short term, this limited rotation put more pressure on Jokic and Murray to perform. Jokic especially get heavy work to do against Wembanyama for both ends of the court.
The win help Nuggets’ position for Western Conference. Dem dey now closer to Los Angeles Lakers for third seed. This match na first of two meetings between Nuggets and Spurs for April, and na first time dem face Wembanyama this season. The next meeting go still hot like fire.
For other news wey concern injury, Lakers guard Austin Reaves don collect bad news. Doctors say him get Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury, and him go miss the remaining five games of the regular season. Reaves dey have him best season with career-high 23.3 points per game before this injury. Lakers already dey miss Luka Doncic wey get hamstring problem, so their playoff chances dey shake small.
Back to the Nuggets-Spurs match, the intensity wey both teams bring show say playoffs don start early. As Gordon talk am, “We like the intensity. That’s a really good ball club over there that plays really hard. So they brought it out of us.” For basketball fans wey watch the match, na pure enjoyment from beginning to end.
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