San Antonio just reached deep down for a Herculean effort to pull out a win over one of the best teams in the league. It wasn't a big win only because they advanced to the next round of the Emirates NBA Cup; it was huge because it told the NBA that they're ready to win games with stakes. [That's foreshadowing for the postseason.](https://airalamo.com/zach-lowe-shares-brutal-victor-wembanyama-truth-spurs-fans-wont-want-hear)
Make no mistake about it, the Nuggets wanted that game. If you were watching it, you saw how demonstrative Nikola Jokic was when things didn't go their way. It was a do-or-die scenario to advance to the next round, and the three-time MVP was playing on his home floor. There was a ton of pride on the line, and San Antonio walked out on top without two of their best players. That means something.
The Spurs just had their biggest win of the season
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The Silver and Black threw one hell of a counterpunch in the third quarter, after an embarrassing second. After a great start to the game, the Spurs let Denver score 41 points to their 18. Letting a team score 40 points or more in one quarter is a recipe for disaster. The Nuggets should know; they let San Antonio do it twice.
The Spurs scorched their Group Play final boss for 41 in the first quarter, and when Denver responded with a 40-point quarter of their own, the away team doubled down with 44 in the third. It was an impressive offensive display by both teams, but one of them played without their best player—a top five star in the league—and the other had the best player in the world.
Winning that game was no small feat. Those who have been uncertain about whether to endorse this team as a top-six playoff contender can voice their support full-throated. Beating a team like Denver with something to play for should be an eye-opener to everyone.
The Spurs now have wins over three of the Eastern Conference's top five teams (Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Atlanta Hawks) and two of the West's top five (Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets). We're still not even a full quarter into the season, but they're already putting together an undeniable resume.
Not a moment of Victor Wembanyama's absence in [this strange season has been wasted](https://airalamo.com/spurs-unexpected-season-has-been-mirror-image-stranger-things-journey). This team continues to improve, and securing wins like this without the franchise star is only going to raise their confidence in playing winning basketball when Vic is resting on the bench in a playoff game. The tea leaves continue to align for a special season for the Spurs. Lock in.
San Antonio's next NBA Cup opponent will be the Los Angeles Lakers in LA on December 10. They've entered the knockout round now. One loss and they're out. But that's a week and a half away, giving the team a good chance to have Stephon Castle and Vic back in the lineup by then. Fingers crossed for that.