Malone was given a technical in the second quarter for arguing a call with official Tony Brothers. Denver can wrap up a top-six seed and avoid the play-in tournament with a Minnesota loss or by winning one of its final two remaining home games. The Nuggets fell to sixth in the Western Conference, a half-game behind Utah and two games in front of the seventh-place Timberwolves. “So I think for them it was one of those nights, but I was really happy with our aggressiveness the whole game.” “Nothing went right for those guys, even to start the game. “Every team has nights like that and I think this was one of those for the Nuggets,” Popovich said. Jones finished with 14 points and 10 assists. One of the key plays was when Davon Reed tried to make a behind-the-back pass that was stolen by Tre Jones, who went in for a layup. The Nuggets cut it to four early in the fourth, only to see the Spurs go on a 14-2 surge to regain momentum. But it wasn’t easy even after San Antonio built a lead that stretched to 21 late in the second quarter. The Spurs had six players score in double figures as they won a regular-season game in Denver for the first time since Jan. “We just didn’t take advantage of the opportunity that was presented to us and it’s frustrating, but we know we have two games left. “It’s a bad loss for us,” said Gordon, who had 18 points and 13 rebounds. “I just didn’t think we had the requisite focus, determination, urgency, desperation - whatever adjective you want to use. “We wasted a golden opportunity,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic had 41 points and 17 rebounds for the Nuggets, who squandered a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win after Minnesota lost to Washington. “We’ve got a game on Thursday and we’re going to play that,” Popovich said. Not that the Spurs were really thinking about it.
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