With the postseason fast approaching, preparation begins to make sure players are ready for the physical demands the playoffs will have in store. Expect a blockbuster game between two of the Western Conference’s best as the San Antonio Spurs visit the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets arrive as the fourth seed with a 49-28 record. Inconsistency and injuries mid-season ended any chance of a top two seed, but they have confirmed their place in the top six with five games to spare.
The Spurs come into this game as the second seed with a 59-18 record. An extraordinary post-All-Star break run has seen San Antonio confirm their playoff position with ease, in what’ll be their first playoff series led by third-year phenomenon Victor Wembanyama.
Injury to Luka Doncic of the LA Lakers means Denver is in pole position to finish third, in which a series between these two sides would become a possibility in the second round of the playoffs (if San Antonio is unable to overtake OKC in first).
Same-game parlay pick
- San Antonio Spurs -1.5 (-115)
- Victor Wembanyama: Over 11.5 rebounds (-150)
- Nikola Jokic: Triple double (-185)
Combined odds: +345 with FanDuel
Denver Nuggets team news and form
Zeke Nnaji (hip) and Spencer Jones (hamstring) have been ruled out for this contest with minor injuries. In worse news, Peyton Watson is considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury that sees his playoff availability uncertain.
Tim Hardaway Jr has been upgraded to probable (knee), which adds much-needed outside shooting to David Adelman’s offence.
The Nuggets are hitting form at the perfect time and are currently on a seven-game winning streak.
Nikola Jokic continues to dominate in all facets of the game, with the Serbian dropping five triple-doubles from his last six.
With Wembanyama proving to be such a force in the paint, I expect Jokic to emphasise creativity in the early stages – passing to open players on the perimeter, with a greater aim of scoring and rebounding when matched against Luke Kornet.
In what is a big game in front of their home faithful, Jokic should easily amount to 35+ minutes, which will be more than enough time for him to cash out his triple-double props for this contest – something I would certainly recommend.
A win here will see the Nuggets continue to hold off the likes of Houston and Minnesota in fifth and sixth, respectively, whilst taking a step closer to finishing as the third seed in the West.
How will the Nuggets lineup against the Spurs?
PG Jamal Murray
SG Christian Braun
SF Cameron Johnson
PF Aaron Gordon
C Nikola Jokic
San Antonio Spurs team news and form
Aside from the indefinite absence of David Jones (ankle), the Spurs have a clean bill of health.
Having won their last 11 matches, this team has looked unstoppable under the tutelage of Mitch Johnson and shows no sign of slowing down.
With such a short time left in the regular season, Wembanyama is on the verge of being crowned as the most valuable player at age 22, with recent NBA rankings seeing him rise above Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Standing at 7 feet 4 inches tall, the Frenchman’s ceiling as a defensive rebounder is off the charts, and this has continued to progress throughout the season.
His rebound prop for this game comes in at 11.5 – a line he has gone over comfortably in his last five games.
His last two matchups against Jokic have seen him accumulate 20 and 18 rebounds, respectively, with another big night in the offing expected on Saturday.
A win here for the Spurs will see them carry on their fantastic momentum into the postseason, whilst keeping pace with the Thunder in first.
How will the Spurs lineup vs the Nuggets?
PG De’Aaron Fox
SG Stephon Castle
SF Devin Vassell
PF Julian Champagnie
C Victor Wembanyama
Will the Spurs cover the spread against the Nuggets?
With both teams in remarkable form, this game has the potential to be a classic.
Denver runs a heavy pick-and-roll offence through Murray and Jokic, with the spacing of Gordon and Johnson proving to be vital in their recent upturn in results.
If Jokic can drag Wembanyama away from the paint with some early three-point makes, this will allow the likes of Murray to find success on isolation drives and be an avenue where the Nuggets could win this game.
The Spurs balance incredible athleticism and defence with a variable offence under Johnson, with Castle and Fox capable of being primary ball-handlers on any given night.
The absence of Watson and Jones massively impacts the perimeter defence of Denver – a factor I expect to tell on the night.
Expect San Antonio to win, with their -2.0 spread a line I’d advise backing.
How to watch the San Antonio Spurs @ Denver Nuggets live?
Tip-off is at 22:30 EST on Saturday, April 4th, 2026, from the Ball Arena in Denver. US viewers can watch the game live on Amazon Prime Video. Locally, the game is available on FanDuel Sports Network Southwest and KENS 5.
