The Boston Celtics hosted the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, and the potential NBA Finals preview lived up to the expectations. Boston entered the game with the league’s best record at 32-9, and were sitting comfortably atop the Eastern Conference standings with a 4 game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks. Denver was 3-3 in their last six contests, and faced a tough task in trying to get back to their winning ways.
NBA: Celtics 27-Game Home Winning Streak Snapped By Nuggets
Nikola Jokic tonight:
34 PTS – 12 REB – 9 AST – 63% FGJamal Murray tonight:
35 PTS – 8 REB – 5 AST – 71% FG pic.twitter.com/d036esJYmt— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 20, 2024
But there was another story line surrounding the contest other than the clash of two titans. The Celtics had yet to lose a home game so far during the 2023-24 NBA season. They had played 20 games inside of TD Garden, winning them all, giving them the best home start in franchise history.
In fact, dating back to last season, they hadn’t lost a regular season game in Boston in the last 27 tries. Their last home defeat came all the way back on March 5th, 2023, a double-overtime loss at the hands of the New York Knicks.
That streak was snapped by Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and the rest of the Nuggets team on Friday. The two stars for Denver combined to score 69 of the team’s 102 total points, and did enough on the defensive end to hold Boston to their second-lowest point total of the current NBA season (100)
On the flip side, Boston’s two stars were ice-cold from deep. Jayson Tatum scored 22 points, but was just 1 of 8 from 3 point range, and Jaylen Brown was even worse with his 1 for 9 clip. But the game was close in the final minutes, and Denver won when Tatum’s potential game-tying shot rimmed out at the buzzer.
Boston Still Holds A Commanding Lead In The East
Jayson Tatum had 5 seconds to tie or win the game and did this 😭 pic.twitter.com/WbCLvvwUOY
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) January 20, 2024
While the loss certainly stings for the Celtics, they still have a commanding lead in the East. They do lose a game on the 3rd place Philadelphia 76ers, but end the night with a four-game cushion on Joel Embiid and company. The 2nd place Bucks were off on Friday, and still remain 3.5 back of Boston for the #1 spot.
The Celtics will hit the road and play three games away from home this coming week, and won’t have another game back in Boston until next Saturday.
They will look to start a new winning streak inside their building, but they’ll take on some of the NBA’s hottest teams while trying. The Los Angeles Clippers will be the first opponent on their seven-game home stand, and they’ll take on the new-look Indiana Pacers three nights later, with a game against the New Orleans Pelicans sandwiched in between.
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