San Antonio Spurs has had a difficult driving since their two best players were lost for the season due to injuries.
Without these two – Victor Wembanyama and De’aaron Fox – the team has fallen out of the race after the season.
The spurs will try to avoid a sixth straight loss when they visit Denver Nuggets on Wednesday evening, the second game in a back-to-back set for both teams.
San Antonio (31-44) lost at home 116-105 to Orlando Magic on Tuesday after beating a late lead.
There have been light spots for Spurs even though they played without their two best scores. Wembanyama leads them in points (24.3 per match) and returns (11.0), and Fox is on average 19.7 points in 17 matches since he came over from Sacramento in February.
Without these two, Devin Vassell (16.3 points), Rookie Stephon Castle (14.3) and Keldon Johnson (12.7) stands the pace of San Antonio.
Castle, the fourth overall election in the 2024 NBA draft, has played well lately. He was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for Mars, an honor which he also won in January.
Castle was an average of 19.5 points, 4.8 assists and 4.4 returns in 17 matches last month, but he played his best against tough competitions. He had a seasonal 32 points against Oklahoma City on March 2, finished with 22 points and 11 returns against Cleveland on March 27 and had 22 points against Boston on March 29.
“I feel he is already a special talent, but the sky is the limit for Steph,” Johnson said. “I feel that the game is already declining for him, but as he continues to grow … he will be good.”
While the spurs had a late arrival in Denver, Nuggets (47-29) will probably be more tired after losing 140-139 in double overtime to Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday evening.
Nikola Jokic had a career pile of 61 points to go with 10 returns and 10 assists for her 31st triple tub of the season. He is on average 29.7 points, 12.8 returns and 10.2 assists, which leads Denver in all three categories.
“I’ve been lucky enough to train some fantastic players … Nikolas on a completely different level,” said coach Michael Malone. “People say he is not athletic. Not many guys can do what he does.”
Jokics 53 minutes was also a career high and was needed by the absence of Jamal Murray (Hamstring) and Michael Porter Jr. (Personal reasons).
Murray, who has missed the last two games, is second in the team in points of 21.6 points per competition, and Porter is third at 18.2.
Denver was arrived by one in the last seconds when Russell Westbrook stole a pass but missed a arrangement. He then fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker on a 3-point with 0.1 seconds left, and he made two free throw.
The loss left Nuggets just half a game before the Los Angeles Lakers for the third seed in the Western Conference and two matches behind second place Houston.
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