Boston finishes west coast street journey with a victory, Celtics win 118-106 over Nuggets

After a troublesome loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, the Celtics wrapped up their west coast street journey with a go to to the Mile Excessive Metropolis to face off in opposition to the Denver Nuggets. With Nikola Jokic dominated out for this recreation, the Celtics have been in a position to care for enterprise and defeated the Nuggets 118-106.

Jayson Tatum led the best way for the Celtics with 29 factors and 11 rebounds on 11-23 taking pictures whereas Kristaps Porzingis had one in all his greatest video games of the season ending with 25 factors and 11 rebounds on 9-18 taking pictures. Jrue Vacation had a sneaky nice recreation as effectively with 19 factors and seven assists because it felt like he was all the time in the correct place on the proper time.

Whereas the Celtics’ three ball was missing, they dominated the paint on this recreation, profitable the factors within the paint battle 60-46.

Picture by Bart Younger/NBAE through Getty Pictures

The Celtics offense began with a whole lot of Kristaps Porzingis touches as he scored the primary basket for Boston with a mid-range jumper and 9 of the Celtics first 12 factors. The Nuggets regarded good on offense in addition to Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray, and Russell Westbrook carrying the load.

Porzingis completed the primary quarter with 15 factors on 6-10, together with being the recipient of an alley-oop after Jayson Tatum blocked Christian Braun on one finish and located Kristaps on the opposite.

The Celtics led 37-25 lead after the primary quarter with their offense was clicking. Boston shot 14-27 (51.9%) within the quarter because the shorthanded Nuggets had no solutions for them. Porzingis (15) and Tatum (11) mixed for 26 of the Celtics’ 37 factors within the quarter. Boston’s paint protection was elite as effectively, solely permitting 2 factors within the paint after one.

Picture by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty Pictures

The Celtics continued their sizzling taking pictures to begin the second quarter, as they opened a 15-point lead on the Nuggets two minutes in. Denver responded with a 13-2 run of their very own to chop Boston’s result in single digits.

Neemias Queta began to make his presence recognized with three straight buckets for the Celtics as he performed some stable minutes for Boston within the quarter, ending with 8 factors.

Jamal Murray began to warmth as much as finish the quarter scoring 8 straight factors for Denver as Boston began to battle to hit pictures. Payton Watson began to make an affect on this recreation with 3 blocks within the first half and a nook three that tied the sport 57-57 going into the half.

The Nuggets ended the primary half on a 12-4 run and completed with 4 gamers with double digit factors. Boston began the second quarter effectively however couldn’t keep it as their three level taking pictures harm them. The Celtics solely shot 5-16 (31.3%) from past the arc within the half whereas Denver out shot them going 9-18 (50%) from three.

The Jays have been chilly within the first half as they mixed for 15 factors on 5-18 taking pictures. Jaylen Brown particularly struggled, with solely 2 factors on 0-4 taking pictures. Kristaps Porzingis was the Celtics main scorer on the half with 16 factors whereas Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 15 factors.

Picture by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty Pictures

The second half began with Jaylen Brown facilitating the Celtics offense with three straight baskets and a pleasant help to Porzingis to begin the third quarter. The Nuggets have been in a position to reply because the lead went backwards and forwards.

A really loud “let’s go, Celtics” chant began to rain down in Ball Enviornment halfway by the quarter simply as Jrue Vacation grabbed a troublesome rebound and located a streaking Tatum on the opposite finish for a dunk.

The Celtics have been in a position to maintain off the Nuggets with the lineup of Tatum and the bench to safe an 88-83 lead on the finish of the third quarter. Jaylen Brown had a bounce again third quarter scoring 8 factors on 4-4 taking pictures. The Celtics have been nonetheless getting out shot from three, however they dominated the factors within the paint battle.

Picture by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty Pictures

The fourth quarter began equally to the best way the third quarter went, each groups buying and selling baskets. The Celtics performed some robust protection highlighted by Porzingis assembly DeAndre Jordan on the summit to dam a possible poster dunk.

With Denver solely having one timeout left halfway by the quarter, the Celtics rattled off a 12-0 run to push their lead again as much as double digits and pressure the Nuggets to make use of their closing timeout with beneath 5 minutes left within the quarter. That run had everybody concerned because it included a Porzingis put again dunk, a Vacation three, a Brown layup, an Al Horford three, and at last a nasty mid-range jumper by Jayson Tatum.

The Nuggets tried to struggle again however they simply didn’t have sufficient as Tatum and Vacation buried them down the stretch to present the Celtics the victory.

The Celtics return dwelling for his or her subsequent recreation on Friday, January tenth to tackle the Sacramento Kings at 7:30 pm.