Jokic, Murray rally Nuggets from 20-point deficit to beat Spurs 136-131 in Wembanyama's absence

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 31 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists, Jamal Murray scored 39 points and the Denver Nuggets rallied to beat San Antonio 136-131 on Thursday night, snapping the Spurs' five-game winning streak as Victor Wembanyama sat out with an injury.

San Antonio guard Stephon Castle had 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his third career triple-double.

With the Spurs trailing 132-129, Castle had a 3-pointer rattle off the rim with 20 seconds remaining. Murray sealed the victory with four straight free throws.

After trailing by 20 points early in the third quarter, Murray's 3-pointer gave Denver its first lead at 121-119 with 4:38 remaining. Murray's basket was the start of an 11-0 run.

Wembanyama was questionable due to right ankle soreness and ruled out after going through pregame warmups. He must play in 13 of San Antonio’s final 16 games for end-of-season award eligibility.

The Spurs are 10-5 without Wembanyama, who watched from the second row of the team’s bench. San Antonio lost for the first time in 22 games when holding a 20-point lead.

Denver outscored San Antonio 42-25 in the fourth quarter behind Murray, Jokic, Spencer Jones, Cam Johnson and Christian Braun.

Jones finished with 19 points, Johnson had 15 and Braun added 11.

De'Aaron Fox had 27 points and Devin Vassell scored 18 for San Antonio, which had won 16 of 17.

Nuggets: At Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

Spurs: At Milwaukee on Tuesday night.

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The Spurs have won five straight games and 16 of their past 17 games.

San Antonio is 24-8 since the calendar turned to 2026 and undefeated during an 11-game stretch in February.

The Nuggets will play the second game of a back-to-back set on the heels of a 129-93 win over visiting Houston on Wednesday.

Jamal Murray led Denver with 30 points in the victory while Christian Braun had 19, Cameron Johnson added 17 and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic collected 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.

Denver shot 55.2% from the floor and forced 15 turnovers while outscoring the Rockets by 30 points after halftime.

San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots over San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Denver Nuggets guard Bruce Brown (11) drives to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

NEW YORK (AP) — Tarris Reed Jr. had 17 points and 14 rebounds as No. 6 UConn cruised past Xavier 93-68 on Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, bouncing back from a costly loss last weekend in the regular-season finale.

The Huskies (28-4) led by 22 in the first half against Xavier (15-18), which got as close as 13 early in the second before coach Dan Hurley's team pulled away again and left no doubt. Solo Ball's 3-pointer with just over 5 1/2 minutes remaining pushed the margin to 25.

Hurley was animated at times on the sideline but stayed in the game until it was over, unlike when he got ejected in the final second of a 68-62 defeat at Marquette on Saturday. That cost UConn a share of the Big East regular-season title and perhaps a chance at earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The second-seeded Huskies on Friday night face 11th-seeded Georgetown, which upset Villanova 78-64 to extend the Hoyas' improbable run. Top-seeded and 13th-ranked St. John’s plays No. 4 seed Seton Hall in the first semifinal at Madison Square Garden.

The semifinals feature four of the seven original Big East members for the first time since 1994.

UConn's size and talent was too much for the 10th-seeded Musketeers, who beat No. 7 seed Marquette 89-87 in the first round Wednesday night. Reed was one of three Huskies players in double figures, with Ball scoring 19 points and Alex Karaban 15.

UConn outrebounded the Musketeers 40-28 and outscored them 42-16 in the paint while shooting 57% from the field. Richard Pitino's group was just 19 of 51 for 37% shooting, with Filip Borovicanin leading all scorers with 22 points.

UConn swept the regular-season season series against Georgetown, winning their matchups 64-62 and 79-75.

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UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. (5) shoots over Xavier's Jovan Milicevic (24) during first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Big East basketball tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

UConn's Malachi Smith (0) drives past Xavier's Tre Carroll (12) during first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Big East basketball tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

UConn head coach Dan Hurley calls out to his team during first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier in the quarterfinals of the Big East basketball tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

UConn's Solo Ball (1) looks to pass during first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier in the quarterfinals of the Big East basketball tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

UConn's Tarris Reed Jr., center, shoots over Xavier's Tre Carroll, left, and Jovan Milicevic during first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Big East basketball tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)