The Boston Celtics beat the Denvers Nuggets 108-102 on Friday in a tight game that marked their seventh consecutive victory thanks in part to the help of newcomer Derrick White.
The Celtics, in seventh place in the Eastern Conference and having won their previous six games, were hosting the Nuggets, in sixth place in the West and who had just won their last two games. The most outstanding player of the game was Nikola Jokic, who got the triple double of 23 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists and 2 blocks.
Argentine Facundo Campazzo also had an outstanding performance for the Nuggets, who came off the bench and scored 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block.
The best of Boston was Jayson Tatum with 24 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Robert Williams III got a double double of 15 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks. Newcomer Derrick White also had an outstanding performance for the Celtics with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in decisive moments.
Boston announced Thursday the signing of White in a deal with the San Antonio Spurs for Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford. The Celtics have also acquired Houston Rockets shooting guard Daniel Theis for Dennis Schroder, Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando.
Many TD Garden fans paid for tickets tonight, after the last series of victories, at more than double what they did two weeks ago (from $39 to $89 for the cheapest).
WHITE PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
The match began with Marcus Smart stealing like a pickpocket on the subway at rush hour. Less than five minutes from the end of the first quarter, with the Celtics 10 points behind on the scoreboard, White, a friend of Boston coach Ime Idoka, since he was an assistant at the Spurs (2012-2019) jumped onto the court. .
Less than a minute after entering the game, the former Spurs served a high pass that Jaylen Brown turned into an ‘alley-oop’ (20-26). Denver comfortably dominated the entire first quarter, but in the last minute, a kill by Tatum, followed by a triple by White left the score at the end of the segment in a tight 30-32.
The second quarter began with White following hot. A three-pointer in the opening seconds made the score 33-32. Another basket increased the advantage of his new team (35-32), although the game was again tied at 35, 37 and 39.
Coming off the bench, the Argentine Campazzo with a triple put the Nuggets ahead again (39-42) and repeated a triple 6 minutes from the end of the segment (41-45). Aaron Gordon, Tatum and the Argentine Campazzo were the top scorers in the first half, which ended 51-60, with 11 points.
The Serbian Jokic, the player of the moment in the NBA, had only scored 8 points, but was the leader in rebounds, with 11, and assists, with 8.
NOBODY GIVES UP
The Nuggets, with 11 players sharing the minutes of the game, had maintained their advantage during the first half of the third quarter, but the Celtics, more supported by their starters, tied at 65-65 after a triple by Tatum and a field goal by Smart.
An entry by Jaylen Brown put the Celtics ahead again (67-65). A triple by White had the fans at TD Garden on their feet (72-67) and a slam dunk by Robert Williams III (76-72) had them yelling “defense.”
But 40 seconds from the end of the segment, a free throw inning by Bryan Forbes put the Nuggets ahead (76-77) again and after a basket by JaMychal Green the quarter ended with 76-79.
The Nuggets led the fourth quarter until a pass from Brown that William III killed in? alley-oop? put the locals ahead again, 91-90 with 7:19 left. A kill by Aaron Gordon again tied the score at 92 and a tackle by Tatum with a free throw put the Boston team ahead (95-92), only for Jokic, with a triple, to tie it at 95 immediately after.
Three minutes from the end of the confrontation, a mate by Williams III put the locals ahead again (97-96) and White increased the difference (100-97 at 1.59 from the conclusion). Although the visitors were ahead on the scoreboard for more minutes, the tight game ended with a 108-102 victory for the Celtics that brings them closer, after seven consecutive victories, to a position to play the playoffs.
