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The San Antonio Spurs travel to the Ball Arena in Colorado on Friday to take on the Denver Nuggets.
Both teams are coming off victories in their season openers and will be looking to establish a winning streak at the expense of the other.
Match Details
Fixture - San Antonio Spurs vs Denver Nuggets | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time - Friday, October 22nd, 2021; 9:00 PM ET (Saturday, October 23rd, 6:30 AM IST)
Venue - Ball Arena, Denver, CO
San Antonio Spurs Preview
The San Antonio Spurs annihilated the rebuilding Orlando Magic in their season opener after a balanced scoring approach. The franchise is now 23-2 in season openers under Gregg Popovich.
Executing a classic Popovich system, the Spurs recorded 32 assists and 49 made field goals, with everyone getting a touch of the ball. They forced 16 turnovers while only conceding 8 themselves.
All five starters scored in double figures. The San Antonio Spurs got incredible production from Lonnie Walker IV and Devin Vassell, who lead all players in box +/- with +26 and +24, respectively.
Jakob Poeltl had a great night with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists. Walker IV had 17 points, Keldon Johnson scored 15, Derrick White dropped 16, and Doug McDermott had 12. Vassell led all the scorers with 19 points in 25 minutes off the bench.
Key Player - Dejounte Murray
Dejounte Murray is one of the San Antonio Spurs' best players. He is also one of Gregg Popovich's key developmental projects.
Murray has improved his stats every season he has been in the league. The 25-year-old received the highest minutes on the team and the most shot attempts in their last game.
The guard had 15 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in 31 minutes. However, he had 3 of the team's total 8 turnovers, so he needs to get better at taking care of the ball.
San Antonio Spurs Preview
G - Dejounte Murray | G - Derrick White | F - Doug McDermott | F - Keldon Johnson | C - Jakob Poeltl
Denver Nuggets Preview
Last season, Nikola Jokic showed the league that he can carry the Denver Nuggets to victory even without Jamal Murray. He continued to prove that during his side's season opener against the Phoenix Suns.
Jokic led the team to a 16-6 record after Murray's injury in April 2021. He then carried them past a healthy Portland Trail Blazers team in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs.
The Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 110-98 in their last game, with Michael Porter Jr. registering 15 points on 6-10 shooting along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Will Barton also had the same number of boards and dimes as MPJ but scored 20 points on 8-14 shooting from the field.
The Joker, Porter Jr., Barton and Aaron Gordon have developed incredible chemistry, and Jamal Murray's return will make the Denver Nuggets a scary team in the West.
Additionally, Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland is a very promising rookie and has impressed with his performances so far. The addition of Jeff Green was also a great offseason move for the Nuggets.
Key Player - Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic doesn't care about his "reigning MVP" status. However, like any competitive athlete, he is looking to have another MVP campaign.
If he gets the Denver Nuggets to another playoff berth (possibly a home-court advantage) without Murray's services for the majority of the season, he could be looking at another award.
Jokic led all scorers in the Nuggets' season opener with 27 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists and as many steals. He was a game-high +28 in box +/- in 35 minutes on the floor.
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
G - Monte Morris | G - Will Barton | F - Michael Porter Jr. | F - Aaron Gordon | C - Nikola Jokic
Spurs vs Nuggets Match Prediction
Although the San Antonio Spurs showed excellent chemistry and balanced scoring in their last game, facing the reigning MVP and the Denver Nuggets might be too much for them.
The Nuggets are coming off a win against last season's finalists, the Phoenix Suns, and this game is their home opener. As such, they are more likely to win against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
Where to watch the Spurs vs Nuggets game
The matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets will be locally broadcast on Altitude and CW35. The game can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Moreover, fans can tune in to the radio at KKSE 92.5 FM and WOAI/KXTN to listen to the match's live commentary.
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