DENVER (AP) — Devin Vassell scored a season-high 33 points on the strength of 7-of-9 shooting from 3-point range and the San Antonio Spurs advanced to the NBA Cup quarterfinals with a 139-136 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.

Julian Champagnie added a season-best 25 points to help the Spurs roar back from an 18-point third-quarter deficit and hand the Nuggets, winners of six straight on the road, their third consecutive defeat at home.

kAm%96 $AFCD >256 b_ @7 ba 7C66 E9C@HD 2?5 D4@C65 b_ A@:?ED @77 `f }F886ED EFC?@G6CD]k^Am

kAmy2>2= |FCC2J =65 s6?G6C H:E9 bf A@:?ED[ r2> y@9?D@? 25565 ag 2?5 }:<@=2 y@<:4 a`] |FCC2J 3642>6 E96 7:7E9 A=2J6C 😕 7C2?49:D6 9:DE@CJ E@ E@A `_[___ A@:?ED 7@C 9:D 42C66C]k^Am

kAmy@<:4 7=2D965 2?@E96C ;2H\5C@AA:?8[ 369:?5\E96\324< 2DD:DE[ E9:D @?6 E@ $A6?46C y@?6D 7@C D64@?5\BF2CE6C 32D<6E 2D s6?G6C 3F:=E 2 fc\dh 92=7E:>6 =625]k^Am

kAmq@E9 E62>D H6C6 D9@CE\92?565 H:E9 $AFCD DE2C ‘:4E@C (6>32?J2>2 W42=7X 2?5 $E6A9@? r2DE=6 W9:AX @FE 2?5 E96 }F886ED >:DD:?8 DE2CE6CD p2C@? v@C5@? W92>DEC:?8X 2?5 r9C:DE:2? qC2F? W2?<=6X]k^Am

kAm(:E9@FE (6>32?J2>2[ E96 $AFCD C6=:65 @? E96:C @FED:56 D9@@E:?8 2?5 6:89E A=2J6CD 9:E 2E =62DE @?6 b\A@:?E6C]k^Am

kAm%96 }F886ED FD65 2 ab\e 3=:EK E@ 6?5 E96 7:CDE 92=7 H:E9 2 `d\A@:?E =625[ 2?5 2 BF:4< b\A@:?E6C 3J |FCC2J E@ @A6? E96 E9:C5 BF2CE6C 3@@DE65 s6?G6CVD 4FD9:@? E@ `g A@:?ED[ 3FE $2? p?E@?:@ @H?65 E96 BF2CE6C 2?5 @?=J EC2:=65 `_c\`_b 9625:?8 :?E@ E96 7@FCE9]k^Am

kAm|FCC2J 9:E E9C66 BF:4< 3F4<6ED 😕 E96 @A6?:?8 >:?FE6D E@ 364@>6 E96 7:7E9 A=2J6C 😕 7C2?49:D6 9:DE@CJ E@ E@A `_[___ 42C66C A@:?ED[ ;@:?:?8 p=6I t?8=:D9[ y@<:4[ s2? xDD6= 2?5 r2C>6=@ p?E9@?J]k^Am

k9am&A ?6IEk^9am

kAm$AFCDi pE |:??6D@E2 @? $F?52J ?:89E]k^Am

kAm}F886EDi pE !9@6?:I @? $2EFC52J ?:89E] q@E9 E62>D 2C6 EC2G6=:?8 7@C E96 D64@?5 ?:89E @7 2 324<\E@\324< 2D E96 $F?D =@DE 2E ~<=29@>2 r:EJ @? uC:52J ?:89E]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^}qpQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^}qpk^2mk^Am

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.