The Mexico City crowd got more than basketball on Saturday night. Before the Nuggets and Pacers tipped off at Arena CDMX, each team sent out a player to speak to the fans in Spanish, and both Aaron Gordon and Jarace Walker handled the moment in their own way.
Aaron Gordon and Jarace Walker both address the Mexico City crowd in Spanish ahead of the Nuggets-Pacers matchup 🙌
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 7, 2026
(via @NBA)
pic.twitter.com/xULSzy7CV7
Gordon, who grew up in California and spent a year at the University of Arizona, wore a big smile as he thanked the crowd and expressed how excited he was to be part of the annual NBA game. Walker, the former Houston Cougars star, kept his message shorter. Afterward, he celebrated the bilingual moment with his teammates.
It was the kind of pregame spotlight that can rattle anyone, and both players likely felt the nerves. Still, they committed to the moment, and the response from the fans suggested the effort landed well.
Once the game started, Denver backed up the occasion with a 114-102 win over Indiana. Cam Johnson led the Nuggets’ scoring with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while Spencer Jones added 13 points, six rebounds and a block in just 13 minutes.
Nikola Jokic had an off night by his standards from the field, going 7-of-20, but still finished with a team-high 19 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Jamal Murray also filled the box score with 16 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
Indiana kept battling despite being without Tyrese Haliburton. Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting, Ivica Zubac recorded a double-double, and Larry Nance Jr. matched a career high with five made 3-pointers off the bench. The Pacers showed plenty of fight in the altitude, but it wasn’t enough.
The Nuggets improved to 5-3, while the Pacers fell to 3-7. Both teams now move on to Texas, where Gordon and Walker may get another chance to show off their Spanish.
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