San Antonio Spurs forward Zach Collins (23) collides into Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15). Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Spurs all but eliminate Lakers from playoffs with win vs. Nuggets

By Adam Stites | Last updated Apr 5, 2022 11:37 PM ET

The San Antonio Spurs' race with the Los Angeles Lakers for the final spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament is all but over after the Spurs beat the Denver Nuggets, 116-97, on Tuesday.

San Antonio has now won seven of its last eight games and improved to 34-45 with its latest win. That'll be good enough to clinch a spot in the Play-In Tournament if the Lakers lose to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. But even if Los Angeles pulls off the upset, its only chance at catching the Spurs is by finishing the season on a four-game win streak while San Antonio loses its last three.

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic finished with 41 points and 17 rebounds in the loss, strengthening his already strong case for NBA MVP. The race will likely come down to Jokic and the Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, who scored 45 points with 13 rebounds in a win earlier Tuesday.

Joker had this man totally flabbergasted pic.twitter.com/TjncTIiFYy
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 6, 2022

The Spurs had six players score at least 13 points in the win with Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell leading the way with 20 points each.

San Antonio missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, and won just four of its first 17 games of the 2021-22 season before making a late surge in the standings.

Adam Stites

Adam Stites is a Southern California native who lives in a new state every three months. He’s perennially disappointed by both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona State Sun Devils. His dog is named Ramsey after the best cornerback in the NFL

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