Feb 25, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets heart Nikola Jokic (15) seems to be to move the ball as he’s defended by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) throughout the first half at Ball Enviornment. Necessary Credit score: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Photos Nikola Jokic compiled 30 factors and 12 rebounds because the host Denver Nuggets rallied previous the Boston Celtics 103-84 on Wednesday evening.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 14 factors, Julian Strawther completed with 12 and Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas had 11 every for Denver, which performed a lot of the recreation with out Jamal Murray.
The All-Star guard performed the primary 7:51 of the sport earlier than leaving on account of an sickness. He was listed as questionable to return however did not play once more.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 23 factors and 11 rebounds, Derrick White scored 20 factors and Neemias Queta contributed 10. The Celtics had received 4 in a row and 9 of the previous 10, they usually ended their Western Convention highway journey 3-1.
The Nuggets have alternated losses and wins over their previous eight video games.
Each groups struggled from the sphere within the first half. Boston hit simply 40.9% of its photographs, together with a 7-for-24 effort (29.2%) from 3-point vary, whereas the Nuggets shot 33.3% total and 8-for-29 (27.6%) from deep.
White was the one participant who discovered a rhythm within the first half. After he was held scoreless within the first quarter, the Colorado native scored 18 of the Celtics’ 24 factors within the second, when he hit 4 of 5 makes an attempt from 3-point vary.
Down by one at halftime, Denver continued to wrestle at the beginning of the third quarter, lacking 4 of its first 5 photographs and turning it over twice earlier than surging on the finish of the interval.
After the Nuggets have been down 67-66, Hardaway and Johnson made layups, Spencer Jones scored after a Nikola Vucevic miss on the different finish, and Jokic drained a 3-pointer. Brown’s turnover led to a dunk by KJ Simpson that gave the Nuggets a 77-67 lead heading into the fourth.
Valanciunas scored the primary two baskets of the fourth quarter to offer Denver an 14-point lead. Baylor Scheierman ended the Celtics’ drought with a 3-pointer, however Hardaway answered with a trey on the different finish and Jones break up a pair of free throws.
Valanciunas stretched the result in 89-72 with a putback, and Boston sat its starters for the remainder of the sport with 5:33 remaining.
–Discipline Degree Media
