The Boston Celtics ended a three-game losing streak with an impressive 118-106 victory against Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, in a back-and-forth affair that eventually went their way in the fourth quarter. Boston managed to pull away late and secure their victory.
Stats Insider projects the Boston Celtics to win by an unlikely score of 119-110 at Ball Arena on Friday night.
In this article, we will discuss the high lights of Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics Match Player Stats.
Here is a summary of the key player performances from that game:
Boston Celtics:
- Jayson Tatum: 29 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks
- Kristaps Porziņģis: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
- Jrue Holiday: 19 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
- Jaylen Brown: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists
- Al Horford: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals
Denver Nuggets:
- Russell Westbrook: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
- Jamal Murray: 19 points
- Julian Strawther: 19 points
- Michael Porter Jr.: 15 points, 10 rebounds
- Peyton Watson: 14 points
Jayson Tatum
On Friday night, Boston and Denver met in their inaugural preseason matchup of 2017, and Boston won by 107-103. Boston took an early lead in the first quarter and looked poised for an easy victory; however, Denver rallied with Nikola Jokic scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds while Jamal Murray chipped in 14 to tie it at halftime.
The Celtics look to rebound from a tough loss against Oklahoma City on Wednesday night at Ball Arena as a favorite against Denver Nuggets; their projections indicate an expected win by Stats Insider of 119-110 for Boston.
Boston is an impressive 5.5-point favorite against Denver, looking to rebound after their setback last week. Their average scoring output has reached 120.8 per game for an impressive fifth place league standings average in scoring.
The Boston Celtics are one of the top teams in the league, led by dynamic Jayson Tatum – once an underrated third overall pick who has developed into one of the premier scorers in the league – turning defense into offense to lead his team into playoff contention.
Tatum was injured during the Celtics’ 131-104 win against the New York Knicks on Sunday, but is expected to play against Denver on Monday. Although playing through right patella tendinopathy has limited his mobility in recent games, he feels confident he will be able to handle an increased workload against Denver.
Tatum was born and raised in St. Louis and attended Chaminade College Prepatory School in Missouri for his early basketball training. As one of the top high school players nationwide and at Duke University where he helped win an NCAA title with them. Since then he has gone on to become one of the NBA’s premier players and been honored with multiple All-Star selections as a fan favorite with Boston fans where he averages 28.5 points and 5.7 rebounds this season.
Al Horford
Al Horford registered 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Boston’s win against Denver on Wednesday, adding three assists and two blocks. Boston led by as much as 13 points heading into the fourth quarter before withstanding a late rally from Denver and winning their ninth consecutive game.
Horford is a five-time All-Star and one-time NBA Champion, having been selected by Atlanta Hawks in the first round of 2007 NBA Draft and having since played 18 seasons across four teams averaging 12.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
He has earned a reputation as an effective defensive force on both ends of the floor, using his length and intelligence to limit passing lanes and disrupt shots at the basket. Furthermore, he excels as a pick-and-roll defender thanks to his mobility combined with a near-7-foot-1 wingspan to deflect passes and alter shots.
Last season, Horford was an integral component of the Boston Celtics as they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. He scored 23 points against Indiana Pacers during Game 3 to lead them back and win by one. They went on to defeat them five games to one, becoming the first Dominican player ever to claim an NBA championship.
Horford had his finest regular season since joining the Celtics in 2012. He averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game to become most valuable player of the team and earning second team All-Defensive honors, becoming first center on that roster to do so.
On Saturday, the Boston Celtics face a daunting opponent when they visit Memphis Grizzlies who rank among the best defenses against opposing big men. Al Horford will likely play but isn’t recommended as an optimal fantasy option in this matchup due to shooting below 40 percent recently and playing limited roles within their offense; his owners might find him more beneficial for playoff formats.
Jaylen Brown
On Wednesday, the Boston Celtics have an opportunity to extend their winning streak against the Denver Nuggets by being favored by 5.5 points in NBA betting odds and setting an over/under of 235.5 points for this game. Boston has been an excellent road team this year and covered four out of their five road games since staking a claim to this series’ win total; their record against Denver stands out with three of four victories over them since 2011.
Last time these teams faced each other, Boston defeated Dallas 105-103. Both teams battled hard until late in the game when Boston managed to close the gap and emerge victorious. It marked Boston’s first win since returning home from winning the Western Conference finals against Dallas Mavericks; and helped propel them back into first place within the Eastern Conference.
Both teams are hoping to improve their records during this year’s playoffs, as the Nuggets are currently 7-2 at home while the Celtics hold an 8-1 road mark. Both will meet again in Round Two for what could prove pivotal matchups between them.
Jaylen Brown has established himself as one of the premier point guards in the NBA this season, averaging 28.1 points per game for Boston Celtics’ second-year player Jaylen Brown has been instrumental in their success and should play an instrumental role again on Wednesday in their game against Toronto Raptors.
Boston’s defense has been impressive lately and will be instrumental in keeping Denver at bay on Wednesday night. Boston has held opponents to only 104 points over their last seven games – something they hope to continue against Denver on Wednesday.
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets have much to prove this season, and will look to show their abilities against the Celtics on Wednesday night. This game promises to be a thrilling battle on both the court and betting markets alike.
Stats Insider predicts a 119-110 victory for the Celtics at Ball Arena on Wednesday night, based on each team’s average score from 10,000 simulations.
Marcus Morris
Marcus Morris is an extremely versatile big man for the Celtics who can fill multiple positions on the court. His length and power give him an advantage in the paint against smaller defenders while his ability to spin into midrange jumpers helps combat drop coverages. Furthermore, he excels in pick-and-roll play and his ball skills are above-average for a power forward.
Morris made three consecutive threes to lead Boston into halftime with 13 points, giving them a 54-43 edge at halftime. Denver made their presence felt early with an 11-4 run to open third quarter, only for Boston to respond with their own 7-0 run that included Brown’s driving layup capped off by their lead guard scoring seven straight. At halftime Boston led 85-77 before Denver rallied but Murray could not pull them ahead and ultimately sealed victory as this game went down to the wire.
Boston’s defense struggled early without Nikola Jokic, yet were able to hold Denver off for most of the contest. While they improved on offensive glass than they have this season, Denver guards and wings still found ways to get into the hoop regularly. Boston tightened up on defensive glass in the fourth period allowing just two offensive rebounds during that period.
The Boston Celtics may not have their best player anymore, but their offense still managed to hold off a furious Nuggets rally and secure a 107-103 win in Denver on Wednesday night. Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 29 points while Kristaps Porzingis contributed 25 points and nine rebounds; it ended a four-game losing streak against them and marked their 3-1 road trip record overall. Moving forward they return home for back-to-back matches against Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans before hoping to improve upon what has already proven successful road record.