Spurs use size to squeak by speedy Nuggets

This was a game of contrasting styles, and the San Antonio Spurs came out on top with a tight 106-104 win. Without Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee, the Nuggets were forced to go small, surrounding their anchor Nikola Jokic with speedy, streaky guards and forwards. Contrast that with the long, deliberate Spurs, and it was all a matter of who could exploit the other’s strengths and weaknesses the most.

Both teams were on fire in the first quarter, with the Nuggets hitting their first five threes, while the Spurs kept up by taking advantage of Denver’s lack of size with LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol getting whatever they wanted from all over the court on their way to 20 and 14 points in the…