Denver Nuggets (46-22) at Boston Celtics (43-27) Monday, March 18, 2019 7:30 PM ET Regular Season Game #71 Home Game #37 TV: NBCSB, Altitude, NBA-LP 755(DTV), 753(Xfinity) Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, KKSE 92.5 TD Garden Referees: Josh Tiven, Tyler Ford, Dedric Taylor The Celtics welcome old friend Isaiah Thomas and the Denver Nuggets to the TD Garden for the second and final meeting between these two teams this season. The Nuggets won the first meeting 115-107 way back on November 5. The Celtics led by 18 in the first quarter and then as has been their mo for much of this season, they let the Nuggets come back and win the game. There was a bit of controversy in that game also. The Nuggets were comfortably ahead at the end of the game and the Nuggets point guard, Jamal Murray, had 48 points. Instead of dribbling out the clock, as would have been the right thing to do, he threw up a last second 3, trying to get to 50 points. Kyrie was so mad about it, he grabbed the ball and threw it way up into the stands, for which he got fined. That game was way back at the beginning of the season but, I can imagine that Kyrie and the rest of the Celtics haven’t forgotten that slight by Murray. This is the first game of a 4 game road trip by the Nuggets. The Celtics are wrapping up a 3 game home stand before heading out to play Philadelphia and Charlotte on the road. Former Celtic Isaiah Thomas is also making his return to the TD Garden. His fortunes have not been good since he was traded for Kyrie 18 months ago. He had hip surgery and finally made it back to the court for 9 games with the Nuggets before being out of the rotation for the last 3 games. Hopefully he will get some playing time in this game so that Celtics fans can give him some love. The Celtics are still in 5th place in the East, but they have made up a little ground and are just 1 game behind Indiana, who lost to these Nuggets on Saturday, and 2 games behind Philadelphia, who beat the Bucks on Sunday. The Celtics and Sixers square off in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The Celtics are 26-10 at home and have won their last 2 games. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and 14-14 against Western Conference teams. The Nuggets are 2nd in the West, just 1 game behind the Warriors and 3.5 games ahead of Houston. The Nuggets have one of the better home court advantages and have lost just 6 games at home but are 16-16 on the road. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and have won their last 3 games. They are 16-8 against Eastern Conference teams. The Celtics have had trouble staying healthy this season. They were finally healthy on their West Coast trip only to have several players come down with the flu. Robert Williams and Guerschon Yabusele are both questionable with an illness (flu) for this game. Al Horford bumped his knee in the Hawks game and had some soreness, but is probable for this game. Gordon Hayward took a hard hit when he ran into a pick set by John Collins in the Hawks game and left the game with was was termed a sprained neck. He has been put into the concussion protocol and is doubtful for this game. The Nuggets have had their own share of injuries this season but are mostly healthy now with just Michael Porter, Jr out with a back injury. Probable Celtics Starters Grid View PG: Kyrie Irving Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports Jaylen Brown Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images SF: Jayson Tatum Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports PF: Marcus Morris Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports C: Al Horford Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports Celtics Reserves Terry Rozier Jaylen Brown Aron Baynes Semi Ojeleye Brad Wanamaker Daniel Theis Injuries Gordon Hayward (concussion) doubtful Al Horford (knee) probable) Robert Williams III (illness) questionable Guerschon Yabusele (illness) questionable Two-Way Players RJ Hunter P. J. Dozier Head Coach Brad Stevens Probable Nuggets Starters Grid View Facundo Campazzo Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images Will Barton Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images Michael Porter, Jr Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Aaron Gordon Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images C: Nikola Jokic Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Nuggets Reserves Malik Beasley Torrey Craig Juancho Hernangomez Tyler Lydon Trey Lyles Monte Morris Mason Plumlee Isaiah Thomas Jarred Banderbilt Injuries Michael Porter, Jr (back) out Two Way Players Brandon Goodwin Thomas Welsh Head Coach Michael Malone Key Matchups Grid View Al Horford Shane Roper-USA TODAY Sports Nikola Jokic Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Al Horford vs Nikola Jokic Nikola Jokic is leading the Nuggets in points (20.3 ppg), rebounds (10.7 rpg) and assists (7.6 apg). He is shooting 50.7% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. It goes without saying that the Celtics need to somehow slow him down. Al is probable to play in this one and hopefully will be 100%. We may also see Aron Baynes on Jokic to give Horford a break also. Grid View Kyrie Irving Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Jamal Murray Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Kyrie Irving vs Jamal Murray As we saw in the last game between these two, Murray is capable of having a big game. He is averaging 18.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. He shoots 43% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc. Kyrie will likely remember that disrespectful 3 Murray took at the end of the Celtics loss and will be looking for some pay back in this one. We may see Marcus Smart on Murray and Kyrie covering Harris if Murray looks like he is going to have a repeat of their last meeting. Honorable Mention Marcus Morris vs Paul Millsap Millsap can take over a game if he isn’t defended well. He is averaging 13.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He shoots 49.8% from the field and 37.5% on threes. Marcus will need to stay with him inside and out to keep him off the boards and to limit his scoring. Keys to the Game Defense - Defense is the key to every game but especially this one. The Celtics are still 5th with a defensive rating of 106.3 but they have let their defense slip in several games recently and need to get back to making defense a priority and putting in more work on that side of the court. The Nuggets have a defensive rating of 108.0 (11th). The Celtics average 112.8 points per game while the Nuggets average 112.0 points per game. They both shoot 47% from the field and 36% from three. With their offenses so close it will come down to which team can stop the other team from scoring. Rebound - The Nuggets average almost 2 rebounds more per game than the Celtics (46.6 to 44.7). They also average 12.1 offensive rebounds to just 9.9 for the Celtics. They are 2nd in the league with 15.5 second chance points per game. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics have to work harder to grab rebounds to limit the Nuggets second chance points and fast breaks. The Celtics can’t allow the Nuggets to outwork them on the boards. Effort and Energy - The Celtics must be the more aggressive team. They have to fight for loose balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and just play harder than the Nuggets for the entire game. When the Celtics lose, it is mostly because they lack energy and effort and allow teams to outwork them. They have to be the team that wants it more and plays like it. Move the Ball - The Celtics play very well when they move the ball and find the open man. When the ball sticks and players try to do too much, take quick shots, and dribble too much, the Celtics struggle.<doc-sep>The Nuggets came into Boston looking for a win, and what a win did they get. Nikola Jokic took control in ways only Nikola Jokic can, and behind the balanced offense plus defensive effort Denver was able to put away the Celtics en route to a 114-105 win. It wasn’t always pretty, but the Nuggets looked like the better team the whole night and are now rewarded with playoff security as a result. It was clear that Kyrie Irving was going to make tonight a personal mission from the tipoff. But while Irving tried to take things into his own hands with a 1-5 shooting start, the Nuggets patiently played their style of basketball and got off to a 13-4 lead. Al Horford got things going for Boston with a couple of threes. Isaiah Thomas received a touching video tribute, then checked in and proceeded to miss his shots. The rest of the first wasn’t pretty but Denver led 24-22. The second quarter was ugly to start as both benches struggled to score. Denver’s second unit gave up some long rebounds and second chance points, enabling the Celtics to gain the slight lead. Then, the Nuggets woke up. Jokic came in and drilled a three, Murray hit a three of his own and facilitated some good offense, and Torrey Craig gave some good hustle minutes in the absence of Paul Millsap. Horford hit another three, but on the other ended Jokic had his way with him and scored almost at will. Jokic led Denver with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, and the Nuggets kept Boston at bay 55-52. Irving really turned on the jets to start the third and found his rhythm, putting up nine quick points and propelling Boston to a lead. On the other side, Denver’s execution was less than stellar. Will Barton forced a couple of bad turnovers which set the tone for the team (7 turnovers in the quarter). Luckily, outside of Kyrie no one in green could buy a bucket. The Nuggets kept it close and capitalized big time in the waning seconds of the quarter. Craig hit a corner three, then Boston turned it over on the inbounds, leading to a wide open dunk for Craig again. End of three, tied at 80. The quick points at the end of the third seemed to really shift momentum towards Denver. Monte Morris and Plumlee sparked it with some fine pick and roll play, then when Jokic checked back in and drilled some threes. Boston got back into it when Irving reentered the game, but the Nuggets kept plowing ahead and grew the lead to 12. However, three consecutive turnovers culminated by a Kyrie three put the Celtics right back in it. Millsap sealed the game with a four point play with 30 seconds left, and even with some more late horrible, bad, awful, ugly turnovers the Nuggets held on to win. Game Notes and Thoughts<doc-sep>Consistency has been tough to come by for the Boston Celtics this season, but they have a chance to continue some winning ways Monday against one of the NBA’s top squads. The Celtics will search for their third straight win when they host the Denver Nuggets at TD Garden. Boston’s last two wins have come against non-postseason teams, making Monday’s tilt against Denver, which sits just one game back of the Golden State Warriors for the top spot in the Western Conference, a nice challenge. Ex-Celtic Isaiah Thomas will be making his return to TD Garden. This will be Thomas’ first time in Boston as an active player since his trade from the Celtics in Summer 2017. Here’s how to watch Nuggets vs. Celtics online: When: Monday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET Live Stream: NBC Sports Boston Thumbnail photo via Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports Images<doc-sep>
The Boston Celtics quite literally kicked one away, as they closed a homestand with 114-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Boston was very sloppy down the stretch on both offense and defense and it cost them a chance at a victory. The loss spoiled an emotional Boston reunion for Isaiah Thomas, who received two standing ovations during the game. The first came when the Celtics ran a video tribute to Thomas during the game’s first timeout. The second came when Thomas, who has been out of the Denver rotation, check in late in the first quarter. For the game, the Celtics turned the ball over 12 times, with many of them coming in the fourth quarter. Boston also allowed Denver to grab 11 offensive rebounds. With the Celtics hitting less than 42 percent of their shots, that was too much to overcome against one of the NBA’s best teams. Kyrie Irving led the way for the Celtics with 30 points, including 20 in the second half. Al Horford scored 20, while grabbing six rebounds and handing out six assists. Boston once again missed Gordon Hayward, who was out while in the NBA’s concussion protocol. The second unit struggled to make plays without Hayward, as they did after he left Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. Seven Nuggets scored in double-figures, led by Nikola Jokic’s 21 points. Jokic hit back-to-back big three-pointers in the fourth quarter, as Denver took control of the game. In many ways, the story of the game was one sequence late in the third quarter. With a two-point lead and holding a timeout that was going to expire. Brad Stevens called a stoppage to draw up an end of quarter play. Marcus Morris threw the ball away from underneath his own basket. That gave Denver a shot to get a good look. And a good look they got, as Torrey Craig beat Jaylen Brown backdoor for dunk to tie the game at 80 as the third quarter came to an end. An 11-0 Denver run then gave the Nuggets control of the game in the fourth, as Boston dropped to 6-3 in the month of March. Boston will play next on the road at the Philadelphia 76ers, who currently sport a two-and-a-half game lead over Boston in the Eastern Conference. GARDEN REPORT GAME RECAP: