This first clash of the year 2023, between the two leaders of the two conferences, was not as enticing as one might expect on paper. Indeed, the Celtics were beaten quite harshly by the nuggetswho thus put an end to their series of four consecutive victories (123-111).
It was a generally complicated evening for Joe Mazzulla’s men, clearly less sharp in attack compared to their usual standards for the season (46% on shots, 27% from behind the arc), against a team from Denver not there for gifts in defence.
For the Nuggets, precisely, we can consider this victory as a reference, facing the best record in the league, even if the teammates of a Nikola Jokic who flew over the meeting with a new triple-double (30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists) are current leaders in the Western Conference, winning ten of their twelve games.
Under the impulse of the “Joker”, the attack ran at full speed (57% on shots, the same from behind the arc), offering no respite to the Celtics on both sides of the field.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The decisive third quarter for the Nuggets. While they had generally dominated the first half without having managed to sign a real break (+8 only), against the Celtics, however not very reactive, the Nuggets did what was necessary to outrun for good their opponents as soon as they return to the locker room. Via a massive 36-point 72% shooting third quarter, giving them a 13-point lead before attacking the calmer and more balanced final act.
– The “Joker” won the duel of MVP candidates. If the duel between the Nuggets and the Celtics was enticing, the match in the match between Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum, two of the very best players of the season, very credible candidates for the MVP, was perhaps even more so. But just like the match as a whole, a bit disappointing in comparison to the excitement that the poster provided on paper, this duel between these two titans of the 2022/23 financial year was not as epic as hoped. The “Joker”, with his triple-double (30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists), easily stealing the show from the Celtics superstar, productive but imperfect (25 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, but 5 loss of ball and a smaller impact on the team than usual).
TOPS & FLOPS
✅ Nikola Jokic’s lieutenants. Even if Jamal Murray was absent, the Serbian pivot was very well supported, in particular by the three other holders: Bruce Brown, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. The three players bringing a significant volume of play (58 points and 8 award-winning shots, in particular) around the double MVP, making the Celtics defense dizzy, often overwhelmed.
✅ Jaylen Brown. Despite the defeat, Boston’s wing boss match, author of 14 points in the first quarter to get into the rhythm, and a total of 30 points, with 8 rebounds and 3 assists. In the visual impression, he was more comfortable than his friend Jayson Tatum in attack.
⛔️ Malcolm Brogdon. Evening to forget very quickly for the sixth man of the C’s (4 points to 1/6 on shots), in difficulty in the first half, and therefore left on the bench for most of the second period. The former Bucks and Pacers was taken out of his match very early, because of the successive waves of rough defenders sent on him, like in particular Bruce Brown and the astonishing and intrepid rookie Christian Brown.
A LONGER THAN EXPECTED FOURTH QUARTER
Without anyone wanting it, this was the image of the evening: Marcus Smart sitting on the field in the middle of the fourth quarter, his legs and arms crossed, staring at the basket in front of him while the technical staff of the Ball Arena tried to settle the hoop, not straight after a huge dunk from Robert Williams III.
The interruption lasted… half an hour, before the players left to warm up a few minutes before ending the match, the outcome of which seemed to have been recorded at this point in the game.
THE FOLLOWING
– Nuggets (24-12): “back-to-back” at Wolves (02:00)
– Celtics (26-11): trip to OKC, overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday (02:00)
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