Celtics Vs Nuggets: Jokic’s 30 lifts Denver in 103-84 win over Boston
DENVER — In a celtics vs nuggets matchup that ended 103-84, Nikola Jokic had 30 points and 12 rebounds to power the Denver Nuggets past the Boston Celtics, a result that kept Denver close in the Western Conference chase while Boston’s long road swing came to an abrupt halt.
Nikola Jokic’s numbers and late third-quarter run
Nikola Jokic finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds and six assists while shooting 11 of 28 from the field and 4 of 13 on 3-pointers. Despite what the box score shows as a rough shooting night, Jokic sparked an 11-0 run to end the third quarter that gave Denver a 10-point lead heading into the final period.
Jamal Murray’s early exit, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Denver’s standing
Denver played most of the game without guard Jamal Murray, who left after logging 7: 51 because of an illness and did not return. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 14 points as the Nuggets bounced back from a 1-2 trip out of the All-Star break that included a loss at Golden State on Sunday. The victory kept Denver in step with Houston in a tight Western Conference race; Denver is percentage points behind the Rockets for third place.
Jaylen Brown’s return, Celtics trip results and shooting struggles
Jaylen Brown returned to Boston's lineup after sitting out Tuesday night at Phoenix with a right knee contusion and scored 23 points in Denver. The Celtics finished 3-1 on the Western Conference trip and had won five straight and nine of 10 before the loss. Boston had its least efficient offensive performance of the season, shooting just 34. 9 percent from the field.
Key sequence: second-quarter spurt, third-quarter unraveling and White’s scoring burst
Colorado native Derrick White scored 18 of his 20 points in the second quarter. Fatigue appeared to affect Boston late: Denver scored on three straight possessions — a dunk and two layups — prompting coach Joe Mazzulla to call a timeout with 1: 27 left in the third while the Celtics trailed 70-67. On the first possession out of that timeout, Nikola Vučević missed a layup and the Nuggets converted on a fast break. Moments later, Jokic drained a 3-pointer to extend Denver’s lead to 75-67. After a Jaylen Brown turnover, K. J. Simpson dunked to push Boston behind by 10. Boston then went scoreless over the first 1: 57 of the fourth quarter as the Nuggets finished a 15-0 run.
Coaching moves, quotes and bench decisions
Midway through the fourth, the Nuggets extended the lead to 17 on a Jonas Valančiūnas tip-in and Boston coach Joe Mazzulla removed his starters. Mazzulla said it was “a combination of we missed shots, a combination of a couple live-ball turnovers, and then they got out in transition, ” and added that half of the run came in transition off missed shots, missed rim reads or turnovers. Mazzulla emptied the bench midway through the fourth quarter. Brown conceded it was a “tough night shooting the ball, ” saying the Nuggets’ physicality was strong and that Boston needed to convert more of its open looks; he also said, “Every night is an opportunity to learn, ” and stressed the need to stick shots and trust teammates. Derrick White summarized the third-quarter slide: “For most of the third (quarter), we just weren’t really able to get anything going. ” For the second straight game, only White could find a sho—unclear in the provided context.
Tribute at Ball Arena and what’s next for Denver
Denver honored Doug Moe with a tribute video at the first timeout. Moe died Feb. 17 at 87; he won 432 games in his 10 seasons as the Nuggets' coach, led them to the Western Conference finals in 1985 and won two Midwest Division titles with Denver. The Nuggets travel next to Oklahoma City on Friday night.
