Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions

The Denver Nuggets (12-12) play against the San Antonio Spurs (15-15) at AT&T Center

Game Time: 8:30 PM EST on Thursday December 9, 2021

Denver Nuggets 0, San Antonio Spurs 0 (8:30 pm ET)

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Michael Singer @msinger
#Nuggets starters: Morris, Barton, Gordon, Green, Joker.
Now if they can just break the W-L-W-L-W pattern throughout this road trip … – 8:16 PM Jeff McDonald @JMcDonald_SAEN
Official lineup Spurs have turned into the scorer’s table tonight: Murray, White, McDermott, Bates-Diop, Poeltl.
Keldon Johnson remains out with a sprained ankle. – 8:15 PM Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Same 🖐 to start tonight!
#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/bM02gS714r – 8:14 PM Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
Lounging pregame. Come join!
Pop on Jokic
Spurs-Nuggets matchup
Jokic and NBA/Nuggets records
Do you agree w/ Anthony Edwards scouting reports?
youtube.com/watch?v=LRj6jl… – 8:00 PM Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Calm before the storm. pic.twitter.com/dK5wkmu7mU – 7:54 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Will Barton (right knee contusion) is available for Denver tonight. – 7:52 PM Jeff McDonald @JMcDonald_SAEN
Things we learned pregame from Denver coach/Spurs PR assistant Michael Malone: Jakob Poeltl leads the league in offensive rebounds, and ranks second in screen assists. Dejounte Murray ranks second in the NBA in deflections.
#TheMoreYouKnow – 7:48 PM Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
Nuggets Coach Michael Malone on the Spurs: pic.twitter.com/hPEYGgoKUH – 7:43 PM Denver Nuggets @nuggets
Reunited and it feels so good 🤗 pic.twitter.com/h1nmjnpIZa – 7:32 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsborn
Pop said he believes it will be “very, very helpful” for an organization as well-respected and mainstream as the Spurs to throw its weight behind the LGBTQ community and is hopeful it will make “an element of society out there…understand that this is important.” – 7:26 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsborn
Pop says he doesn’t know if the #Spurs’ Pride Night on Saturday will help change minds about the LGBTQ community and help make San Antonio a more inclusive city, but he said “you do what should be done.” – 7:24 PM Jeff McDonald @JMcDonald_SAEN
As much as the schedule harmed the Spurs on Tuesday, it’s working in their favor tonight.
Denver nearing the end of a 7-game trip booked by someone without a grasp of US geography, and on the third game in four nights. Nuggets surely on fumes. – 7:18 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsborn
Back to Keldon’s status after spraining his right ankle on Tuesday, Pop indicated that the forward would probably not be ready to go on Saturday night either.
Keldon is out for tonight’s game against Denver. The Spurs play the Nuggets again on Saturday. – 7:11 PM Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
“I think Dejounte Murray and Derrick White are very quietly one of the more dangerous backcourts.” – Nuggets Coach Mike Malone
Malone talked about how the Spurs’ defense turns teams over. – 7:07 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsborn
There is no official timeline for Keldon Johnson’s return after he sprained his right ankle on Tuesday night, but Pop said “it is not going to be a long period of time, for sure.” – 7:05 PM Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
Michael Malone pregame: “You’re never going to catch Zeke Nnaji cutting corners.”
“He does everything extremely hard, which is a great starting point.” – 7:04 PM Denver Nuggets @nuggets
𝙊𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚 📸
#ULTRADrip x #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/4yfFKjvVTJ – 7:02 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsborn
Pop says “he thinks” Devin Vassell (right quad contusion) is available for tonight after missing 5 of the last 6 games, including the last 3 in a row. – 7:00 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Gregg Popovich on Nikola Jokic: “He’s too damn good. It’s not fair all the things he can do.”
“It’s kind of Larry Bird-ish in a way.” – 6:51 PM Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
“He’s not going fast. He’s not jumping high. It’s kind of Larry Bird-ish…great hands, scores every which way. Involves all of his teammates.”
“Probably the best passing big man we’ve seen in a very long time.”
Coach Pop never passes up a chance to talk about Nikola Jokic. – 6:50 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Austin Rivers on IG Live says he tested negative for COVID for the first time today since starting quarantine at his home in Orlando. He says he could be out of quarantine in two or so days and has started to ramp up his conditioning. – 6:23 PM San Antonio Spurs @spurs
Devin shares the importance of giving back during the holiday season 🤍
Join @Devin Vassell in supporting @safoodbank through his ‘Spread the Love’ Peanut Butter Drive! Bring jars of any kind to Spurs home games from Dec. 11-15th – 6:10 PM Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
🎙Brand new Spurscast episode with @freeszn: projectspurs.com/2021/12/09/spu…
– Spurs in last 4 games
– Takeaways from 4 game winning streak
– Poeltl’s rim protection, Derrick White’s improvement
– Lonnie’s season through 23 games – 6:09 PM Katy Winge @katywinge
San Antonio #wanderingwinge along the Riverwalk pic.twitter.com/kS5P6tBH6x – 6:03 PM Michael Singer @msinger
Austin Rivers confirmed he had COVID on his IG live and has been quarantining in Orlando (where he has a house). Added the time off’s been good for his mental and physical health. Rivers said he’s been playing through injuries all season. – 5:57 PM Katy Winge @katywinge
Congratulations to these two random people I just happened to see get engaged out my hotel window on the San Antonio River walk!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/tfraHfufKu – 5:46 PM Matt Dery @DerySpeaks
Crossover Thursday on Locked on Lions. #Lions completely sick with the flu facing Denver. We chat with @CodyRoarkNFL and @SayreBedinger. #FirstListen. DEC 9. https://t.co/iK9ejCjnW3 pic.twitter.com/IRnDy1W68s – 5:44 PM Denver Nuggets @nuggets
What will Nikola’s stat line be tonight? 🤔
Sign up and bet $1 on any NBA game with @PointsBetUSA and get $100 in Free Bets!
👉 https://t.co/aEolNKZ6Nw
#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/C8Lp62qGP5 – 5:10 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Happy Gregg Popovich? Even with the Spurs at 8-15? Happy enough to keep coaching beyond this season?
All those questions answered and explained here: marcstein.substack.com/p/secrets-out-… – 4:45 PM John Schuhmann @johnschuhmann
Holy ****, Nuggets. After a stagnant offensive possession, Jokic gets Graham switched on him. But he passes the grenade to Barton. Then they have 4 guys back on defense, but Gordon commits the laziest of take fouls.
Oof. pic.twitter.com/wOubTrmuQH – 4:43 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic registered a 33.7 Game Score for last night’s 39 points (17-23 FG’s), 11 rebounds and 11 assists vs. the Pelicans.
It’s his highest GmSc of the year but would rank as only his 9th-best game from last season. – 4:32 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Keldon Johnson (ankle) is out tonight for the Spurs. He put 27 points on the Nuggets earlier this season. – 4:07 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Michael Malone’s the ultimate player’s coach. The latest example: He took JaMychal Green aside at shootaround yesterday and told the veteran he still believes in him. Malone sticks with Green in the rotation. Last night it paid off. pic.twitter.com/QNw3Peys7x – 3:54 PM Denver Nuggets @nuggets
The ultimate cheat code 🎮
#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/cii50aY6ck – 3:46 PM Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked on Pelicans is live!
🏀 Glass half full or half empty after loss to Nuggets?
🏀 Herb Jones dunks on Nikola Jokic
🏀 Offense struggles at the end
🎧 https://t.co/BETlDzBFEv
Watch on YouTube!
📺 https://t.co/4DBES9YyFq pic.twitter.com/iKhjpzJWdk – 3:44 PM Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
Nikola Jokic has a 34.0 PER this season, on pace to shatter the current highest mark of 31.9 by Giannis in 2019-20.
The difference between Jokic and Giannis (2.1) is the same difference between Giannis and Kevin Durant in 2013-14, who has the 30th-best single-season PER. – 3:36 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic on JaMychal Green: “I said one time he’s a guy I wish I could play with for the rest of my life. Because he’s a winner. He’s not going to quit. He’s a really strong guy who’s going to give you a lot on the floor. I cannot be mad at him because I know he’s going 100%” pic.twitter.com/jgibwLYmhT – 3:32 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Will Barton (non-COVID illness) is probable for Denver’s back-to-back tonight in San Antonio. Austin Rivers (health and safety protocols) is out. No one’s resting, as of right now. – 3:21 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsborn
Here’s the collection sked for Devin Vassell’s “Spread the Love” peanut butter drive to help the @safoodbank:
Dec. 11 vs. Denver Nuggets from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 12 vs. New Orleans Pelicans from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Dec. 15 vs. Charlotte Hornets from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – 3:16 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsborn
After watching him go through shootaround this morning, Spurs have upgraded Devin Vassell from doubtful to probable. He missed the last 3 games with a bruised right quad.
In an expected move, the club downgraded Keldon Johnson (right ankle sprain) from doubtful to out. – 2:58 PM San Antonio Spurs @spurs
First of two straight vs. Denver tonight!
🆚 @Denver Nuggets
7:30pm CT
📍 @attcenter
📺 @BallySportsSA
🎟 https://t.co/ns6mrb1iOr
📻 @1200WOAI, @kxtn1350 AM & 107.5 FM HD 2 pic.twitter.com/uy7h7bk1Ae – 2:44 PM TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Dozier, Murray, Porter, and Rivers are all out tonight.
Will Barton III (non-COVID illness) is probable. pic.twitter.com/GBGaEj4Nl5 – 2:32 PM