For much of the game, the Nuggets and Celtics battled, then in the 4th quarter it looked like Denver was pulling away. Then the Celtics made a late push but it was not enough as Denver was able to hold off Boston 114-110. Jaylen Brown scored 33 points but it was not enough.
Josh Minott, who has been out of Joe Mazzulla’s rotation in recent games, joined Jayson Tatum on the injury report for the Celtics. The Celtics started the same lineup they have started the last 2 games; Payton Pritchard, Derrick
White, Sam Hauser, Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta. Nikola Jokic, Jonas Valancuins and Cam Johnson missed the game for the Nuggets as Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon returned to the lineup. Denver started Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Payton Watson, Spencer Jones and Daron Holmes as Gordon came off of the bench.
Denver started the game out hot, making 4 of their first 5 three point attempts, Payton Watson was 2/2. The Celtics were able too stay in the game by making 3 threes themselves and they trailed 14-11 at the first timeout.
However, the first quarter belonged to Jaylen Brown.
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Brown finished the quarter with 15 points while Derrick White had 10 of his own and the Celtics led Denver 35-31 at the end of the first quarter.
Denver battled back to start the 2nd quarter as Aaron Gordon got going, he had 5 points and 3 rebounds in the first 5 minutes of the quarter and Denver took a 1 point lead, 42-41.
It was Denver’s defense that really kicked up a gear, as they made it tough on the Celtics to get good looks.
It was a back and fourth half that concluded with the score tied at 58. Jaylen Brown led the game in scoring with 19 points, Derrick White had 13 and Luka Garza contributed 8 off of the bench.
Anfernee Simons is really starting to do a lot of the little things for the Celtics. His offensive rebounding is a thing and he had a block in the first half. He also is shooting catch and shoot threes very well over the past few games.
The start of the third quarter was a defensive stalemate, neither team could buy a basket as the Celtics went on a 12-0 run over a 6+ minute stretch before a Jamal Murray three ended the run.
After the Murray three, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Aaron Gordon each hit a three of their own to turn a 72-63 Celtics lead into a 74-72 Celtics lead.
The Celtics led by three at the end of three, 82-79, a late pair of Anfernee Simons threes helped with that. Brown led the team with 27 points while Simons and Garza both had 11 points off of the bench.
Boston was helping a lot on Jamal Murray. Blitzing pick and rolls and sending double teams on drives. He made them pay with 15 assists with 5 minutes to go as the Nuggets took a 97-90 lead.
The Celtics went ice cold in the fourth quarter. Denver’s defense did an awesome job at limiting the Celtics offense, holding them to 11 points on 9/26 from the field and 2/9 from three point range.
The Celtics also could not get enough stops as Denver scored 35 points while shooting over 60% from the field.
The Celtics made a run late, scoring 18 points in the last 2 minutes of the game and cutting the Nuggets lead to three but it was not enough.
The Nuggets to pulled away late and beat the Celtics 114-110. Jaylen Brown finished with 30 points but 6 turnovers while Derrick White had 17 points and Neemias Queta had 6 points and 20 rebounds.
Boston shot 45% from the field and 40% from three while the Nuggets shot 45% from the field and 46% from three. The Celtics next game is Friday at 7:30 EST from TD Garden against the Toronto Raptors.
