Jaylen Brown scored 22 points, and Derrick White hit a crucial floater in the final minute to help the Boston Celtics secure a 110-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. Boston, which nearly squandered a 20-point lead, avoided a third consecutive loss and improved to 43-18, keeping its hold on the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jayson Tatum finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists despite struggling from the field. White added 17 points, and Al Horford contributed 19 points and eight rebounds to give the Celtics a much-needed win.
Nikola Jokic recorded 20 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists for Denver, falling just short of another triple-double. Jamal Murray led all scorers with 26 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, while Christian Braun stepped up with 24 points in an extended role.
Boston built a 20-point lead late in the first half but saw Denver chip away at the deficit. The Nuggets, who trailed 59-39, used a 10-0 run in the third quarter to cut the gap to five points, setting up a tense finish.
With just over three minutes remaining, Murray hit a three-pointer to pull Denver within five. Boston went cold offensively, missing three straight shots and committing a turnover, allowing the Nuggets to make it a one-possession game on a Murray layup.
White responded with a timely floater to push Boston’s lead back to five. On the next possession, Murray turned the ball over, and Horford capped a fast break to seal the win.
The Nuggets, now 39-22 and third in the Western Conference, have lost three of their last five games. Jokic appeared to be limping from the opening tip, which could be a concern for Denver as the postseason approaches.
Tatum struggled with his shot, going 4-for-15 from the floor and just 1-of-7 from three-point range. Despite that, Boston’s depth helped compensate, with Payton Pritchard adding 11 points off the bench.
Denver shot 47.7% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 12 of 35 three-pointers. Boston capitalized on turnovers, forcing 11 and converting them into crucial points down the stretch.
