After a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the Boston Celtics (43-18) bounced back against the Denver Nuggets. Still without Jrue Holiday (right hand mallet finger) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness), the Celtics rebounded with a quality win.
Boston got up to a double digit lead early, but it had the same feeling as it did against the Cavs where the Celtics couldn’t put the game to bed and allowed Denver to stay in the game. The Nuggets got the game to within four late in the game, but it was Derrick White and Al Horford coming up big in the clutch to seal the deal for Boston.
The Celtics started the game well on offense, getting a 10-6 lead in the first three minutes of the game thanks to a couple of threes from Jaylen Brown and Derrick White and a couple of baskets from Al Horford.
Denver relied on Jokic early who had seven of his team’s first 10 points.
The offenses for both teams slowed down midway through the quarter as Boston had a 15-13 lead with 4:50 left in the quarter.
Payton Pritchard got the crowd into the game drilling his first three of the game, something he needed after a six point performance against the Cavs on Friday. Then on the next possession, Jaylen Brown bullied Jamal Murray in the post for the layup which forced a timeout by Michael Malone.
Pritchard hit his second three with a minute left in the first quarter to give Boston its biggest lead of the first quarter (13) 30-17.
Boston did a great job on Jamal Murray defensively holding him to zero points in the quarter while drawing two fouls against him.
The Celtics took a 12 point lead (32-20) into the second quarter with Jaylen Brown leading the way with 12 points.
The biggest difference in the start to the game between the two teams was the Celtics started 8-of-15 from three, while Denver was 4-of-15.
With Jokic out to start the second half, the Celtics got their lead up to 17, 44-17. Pritchard continued to have a hot hand in the second quarter.
Al Horford, while having to guard Jokic, started hot offensively scoring 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting to give Boston a 51-33 lead midway through the second quarter.
Jamal Murray’s first points came with 3:41 left in the first half.
Boston’s defense was superb in the first half with them being aggressive on every pick-and-roll as CelticsBlog’s Adam Taylor pointed out.
Lot’s of up-to-touch coverage from the C’s when guarding PnR today, leaning into a pressure defense on the perimeter and…
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