Somehow Nikola Jokic calculated the limit of Victor Wembanyama’s reach.

There were three seconds separating the shot clock and game clock in the final seconds of overtime with the Nuggets nursing a two-point lead. Denver looked content to hold the ball to see if the Spurs were going to foul before Jokic wound up wide open a step outside the lane on the left side of the court. Jamal Murray provided the pass, and when Jokic turned toward the hoop all of Wembanyama’s 7-foot-4 frame and eight-foot wingspan was in the way.

That wasn’t enough to deter Jokic from taking, and making, one of his most efficient shots. Nuggets coach David Adelman had no complaints with the decision after another 40-point performance from the three-time Most Valuable Player.

“When Jok shoots a floater, I’ll be honest, that’s better than shooting free throws,” Adelman said.

“That’s an auto two.”

Jokic lofted the ball just beyond Wembanyama’s reach. The ball hardly touched the rim on its way through, giving the Nuggets a four-point lead with 10 seconds left.

“Just a little bit more arc in your shot,” Jokic said of the required adjustment when playing against the expected Defensive Player of the Year.

A couple of possessions earlier, Jokic hit his signature Sombor Shuffle shot over Wembanyama’s outstretched hand.

“They’ve got the best offensive player in the world, so when you come into these games, you always have to be focused on defense,” Wembanyama said after Denver ended San Antonio’s 11-game win streak.

“It was a really fun game, and we’re going to learn a lot from it.”

Combine the touch with a 7-foot frame and Jokic’s floater is one of the most unstoppable shots in the NBA.

“It’s like bar game-like. It’s insane,” Adelman said. “I just have never seen anybody shoot a floater like Nikola. It’s almost like the more contested it is, the better it is. It’s through the net even cleaner.”

Braun’s persistence pays off

Christian Braun knows what’s coming.

Teams that want to commit an extra body to slow down Denver’s league-best offense led by Jokic and Jamal Murray have to leave someone open.

“They typically pick me,” Braun, a 36.7% 3-point shooter for his career, admitted. “There’s a lot of games, especially in the playoffs, that that’s going to be the case. I obviously expect that and know that. I just got to continue to do what I’m doing.”

That was the case on Saturday. The Spurs dared Braun to beat them, and it worked early. Braun made just one of the first five 3s he attempted. He finished 5 for 11, scoring 15 of his 21 points from behind the arc. The shooting will be of increased importance, as a serious ankle sprain suffered in November has decreased his bounce.

“The explosion to dunk I think is always going to be something he’s going to have to deal with until the season is over,” Adelman said. “That’s one of those things that you’re going to need to just not play basketball for a while, which is not going to happen.”

Johnson joins the fun

Cam Johnson had his best moment as a Nugget in a big spot.

It looked like an important win was all but out of reach after San Antonio led by six with fewer than 90 seconds to play. Then, Jokic kicked the ball out to Johnson, who knocked down a 3 as De’Aaron Fox crashed into him. The free throw made it a two-point game, but Johnson couldn’t really celebrate until he hit another 3 that put Denver up 131-127 with a couple of minutes left in overtime.

The forward roared after Spurs coach Mitch Johson took a timeout, and Tim Hardaway Jr. and others rushed out to join Johnson’s rare celebration.

“It’s fun, man. That’s what you play for, those moments right there where you feel the energy in the arena. You feel the energy from the bench,” Johnson said. “You know I’m not much of a celebrator. You guys don’t see me celebrate a bunch of 3s, but when the team gets hyped, that’s a lot of fun.”

Standings watch

The three seed is back in play.

After beating the Spurs, Denver is only a half game behind the Lakers.

“I thought it was probably the best win of the season mentally just to kind of stay with each other as they go on the runs they go on,” the Nuggets coach said. “They’re as talented as it gets.”

The Lakers own the tiebreaker over the Nuggets but will play the final five games of its regular season against the Mavericks, Thunder, Warriors, Suns and Jazz without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Denver closes with the Trail Blazers, Grizzlies, Thunder and Spurs. There’s a chance Oklahoma City and San Antonio are already locked into their top-two seeds and rest players in Denver’s final two games of the regular season.

Heading into Sunday’s lineup, Houston sits 1.5 games behind the Nuggets, while Minnesota is 3.5 games behind the Nuggets in sixth. The most important part for Denver is staying in the top four and having home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

“Being the three seed doesn’t necessarily mean the matchup is better or worse,” Adelman said.

“If we are the three, it means that we’re moving in the right direction to end the season.”