Boston Celtics takes care of Denver Nuggets at home, 110-103

After a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the Boston Celtics (43-18) bounced again in opposition to the Denver Nuggets. Nonetheless with out Jrue Vacation (proper hand mallet finger) and Kristaps Porzingis (sickness), the Celtics rebounded with a top quality win.

Boston obtained as much as a double digit lead early, but it surely had the identical feeling because it did in opposition to the Cavs the place the Celtics couldn’t put the sport to mattress and allowed Denver to remain within the recreation. The Nuggets obtained the sport to inside 4 late within the recreation, but it surely was Derrick White and Al Horford developing huge within the clutch to seal the deal for Boston.

The Celtics began the sport nicely on offense, getting a 10-6 lead within the first three minutes of the sport because of a few threes from Jaylen Brown and Derrick White and a few baskets from Al Horford.

Denver relied on Jokic early who had seven of his staff’s first 10 factors.

The offenses for each groups slowed down halfway by the quarter as Boston had a 15-13 lead with 4:50 left within the quarter.

Payton Pritchard obtained the gang into the sport drilling his first three of the sport, one thing he wanted after a six level efficiency in opposition to the Cavs on Friday. Then on the subsequent possession, Jaylen Brown bullied Jamal Murray within the submit for the layup which pressured a timeout by Michael Malone.

Pritchard hit his second three with a minute left within the first quarter to provide Boston its largest lead of the primary quarter (13) 30-17.

Boston did a terrific job on Jamal Murray defensively holding him to zero factors within the quarter whereas drawing two fouls in opposition to him.

The Celtics took a 12 level lead (32-20) into the second quarter with Jaylen Brown main the way in which with 12 factors.

The largest distinction within the begin to the sport between the 2 groups was the Celtics began 8-of-15 from three, whereas Denver was 4-of-15.

With Jokic out to begin the second half, the Celtics obtained their lead as much as 17, 44-17. Pritchard continued to have a scorching hand within the second quarter.

Al Horford, whereas having to protect Jokic, began scorching offensively scoring 11 factors on 5-of-6 taking pictures to provide Boston a 51-33 lead halfway by the second quarter.

Jamal Murray’s first factors got here with 3:41 left within the first half.

Boston’s protection was excellent within the first half with them being aggressive on each pick-and-roll as CelticsBlog’s Adam Taylor identified.

Nevertheless, Denver did go on a 9-0 run with beneath a minute left to chop the result in 11 48-59. Christian Braun damage Boston scoring 11 of his 16 first half factors within the second quarter.

Luke Kornet ended the run with a reverse layup to enter half main 61-48.

Boston related on 10-of-21 (48%) first-half threes whereas Denver shot 22% from deep (4-of-18).

The Celtics got here out of the gates on hearth happening a 7-0 run to take a 20-point lead, forcing the Nuggets to name a timeout.

After the timeout, Denver went on an 11-2 run in two minutes to make it 70-59 with 8:30 left. Derrick White and Russell Westbrook traded threes as each offensives began to warmth up.

Jayson Tatum had a troublesome first 5 minutes of the second half with an offensive foul and an pointless turnover. Regardless of 4 turnovers halfway by the third, Tatum was making up for it on the glass grabbing 9 boards whereas offering seven assists to go together with 9 factors.

Whether or not it’s Tatum or Brown, the Celtics persistently attacked Jamal Murray as he wasn’t sufficiently big or robust sufficient to protect them.

Each time the C’s regarded like they have been going to blow the sport open, the Nuggets made a run themselves and stored the sport inside attain.

After a 3 from Denver, the Nuggets lower it to 9 earlier than a floater by Murray made it an 8-0 run and a seven-point recreation 82-75.

Then with 17.2 seconds left, Murry drained a midrange jumper to chop it to 5, the closest it’s been for the reason that first half.

Torrey Craig was fouled proper earlier than the top of the third quarter and he made one free throw to make it 83-77 going into the fourth quarter.

The Celtics had six turnovers within the third quarter in comparison with 5 first-half turnovers which is what helped Denver get again into the sport. Queta offered some immediate power and a layup by Pritchard obtained the lead again to 10 (94-84) with 7:41 left within the fourth.

Queta has proven time and time once more when he’s given the prospect, he can present a spark. He will not be essentially the most dependable defender, however what he brings offensively he positively earned extra minutes shifting ahead.

Jokic drilled a straightaway three to get the sport to inside 4 95-91 with 5:54 left. However Derrick White discovered Luke Kornet on an alley-oop to make it an eight-point recreation shortly after with 4 minutes left.

White then responded from a Braun three with a 3 of his personal earlier than Murray answered with a 3 of his personal to make it a five-point recreation 102-97.

Murray then made it a three-point recreation with 1:15 left 102-99. The bucket was Murray’s twentieth of the second half.

With 53.7 left White, like he’s performed all season, made a clutch floater to get it again to a two-possession recreation. Then off of a turnover Jaylen Brown discovered a surging Horford who laid it in to seal the victory, 106-99 with simply 33.4 seconds left.

Then it was Tatum and Horford closing the sport out on the free throw line to seal win No. 43.