Denver Nuggets (40-26, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (48-17, second in the Western Conference)

San Antonio; Thursday, 9 p.m. EDT

Spurs -5.5; over/under is 235.5

BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio comes into a matchup with Denver as winners of five games in a row.

The Spurs are 28-13 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is the NBA leader with 35.2 defensive rebounds per game led by Victor Wembanyama averaging 9.2.

The Nuggets are 24-14 in Western Conference play. Denver scores 120.4 points while outscoring opponents by 4.1 points per game.

The Spurs are shooting 48.1% from the field this season, 1.1 percentage points higher than the 47.0% the Nuggets allow to opponents. The Nuggets are shooting 49.3% from the field, 4.2% higher than the 45.1% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Spurs won 139-136 in the last matchup on Nov. 29.

TOP PERFORMERS: Wembanyama is scoring 24.2 points per game with 11.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Spurs. De'Aaron Fox is averaging 17.3 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 52.9% over the last 10 games.

Jamal Murray is averaging 25.5 points and 7.1 assists for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is averaging 29.1 points and 12.9 rebounds while shooting 53.9% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 9-1, averaging 121.6 points, 44.8 rebounds, 30.7 assists, 7.2 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.1 points per game.

Nuggets: 5-5, averaging 121.2 points, 46.1 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 6.9 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.1 points.

INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Harrison Barnes: day to day (ankle), Lindy Waters III: day to day (illness).

Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).

------

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.