NBA Notes: Spurs, Victor Wembanyama, Nuggets, Nikola Jokic, Thunder

Spurs

Yeah, the Spurs are back. And it doesn’t feel fluky, as ESPN wrote in its midseason grades.

San Antonio has navigated long stretches without De’Aaron Fox, Victor Wembanyama, and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper, yet here they are, tied for second in the West. That alone tells you something.

What really jumps off the page, though, is the way the Spurs have handled the Thunder head-to-head. Those wins weren’t cute. They were authoritative.

And they came with Wembanyama and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle both 22 or younger, plus Harper (19) playing real minutes.

This doesn’t feel like a cute “ahead of schedule” story anymore. This feels like the start of something sustainable.

Nuggets

Denver’s season has been a reminder that context matters.

The Nuggets have had their preferred starting five together just 10 times. They went 8-2 in those games. That tracks. What’s impressive is how they’ve stayed afloat despite the rotating injuries, including Nikola Jokic missing time with a knee contusion.

Young guys stepped in. The defense held. The offense didn’t crater. And now, Denver is right where it expected to be in the standings.

When healthy, this still looks like the second-best team in the league, and it’s not a hard argument to make.

Thunder

The bar was absurd. And Oklahoma City somehow cleared it. Again.

A 24-1 start will inflate any projection, but even after a few dents — including three losses to San Antonio and back-to-back slips against Phoenix and Charlotte — the Thunder remain on a historic pace.

They posted a plus-12.9 point differential last season. This year? Plus-13.0. And they’ve had their ideal starting lineup together for just five games.

That’s the scary part.