From the first seconds, we felt that the Celtics wanted to strike hard against the Nuggets. Kristaps Porzingis scores his team's first eleven points, with a dunk and three award-winning shots. But he suffers on the other side against Nikola Jokic. The two men score 15 points in this first quarter and the fight is on (32-31). Discreet in the first act, Jayson Tatum shows himself more then, carrying his team with 10 points in a row.
The response from Jamal Murray, who sticks seven units in a row, is quick. Denver inflicts a 10-2 on its opponent. On the ropes, the Celtics? They respond with runs, pace and dunks. Result: a 15-3. The Nuggets take the blows and give them back, with a 7-0. Joe Mazzulla's men are in control at the break (61-55).
Jayson Tatum misses two match points
Little by little, the reigning champions manage to come back and move ahead. For only a few seconds, because Derrick White is in action for a 9-0. Here again, Denver waited for the storm to pass and then struck, with an 8-0 to conclude this third quarter (82-81). Everything will have to be decided in the last.
It's Jamal Murray who carries his team during these first minutes of the final quarter. The playmaker makes the baskets, before the Celtics go 7-0. We then enter “money time”. The defenses are tougher, the Nuggets miss a lot of shots, but they manage to hold on. Jayson Tatum will have two match points, but he misses a difficult layup, before missing the last shot of the match, at mid-distance (100-102).
What you must remember
– A series match that kept its promises. On paper, it's difficult to do better than such a poster. Except that, sometimes, mountains give birth to mice. Not here. It was an excellent match, with a very good first half and a lot of series where each team gave blows before having to take them. There was spectacle, defense and suspense. What more ?
– The Jamal Murray – Nikola Jokic duo. If the reigning champion achieved the feat of coming to win in Boston, it is largely thanks to these two. The pivot (34 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists) showed himself a lot in the first quarter but he was always valuable. The leader (35 points) made the difference in the last act. Omnipresent, the two men compiled 69 points (29/43 shooting) and 14 assists.
– First home defeat for Boston. You had to be very strong to break the streak of 20 consecutive victories at TD Garden and finally beat Boston on its floor this season. The Nuggets are not the defending champions by chance. The Celtics were rather skilful from afar in the first half, but it was harder in the second, and they never found the answer to the equation posed by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
