The Nuggets defense
The 10-3 Denver Nuggets are one of the hottest teams in the league right now. They have seven of their last eight games and have also held opponents to just 99.8 points per game during that span. In Thursday’s 105-95 win over the Houston Rockets, that stymieing defense was a key into snapping the Rocket’s eight-game winning streak and holding the offensive powerhouse into its lowest point total on the season.
As they try to dominate another visitor, the Nuggets should remain confident with its defensive instincts. They won both meetings with the Boston Celtics last season and held Jayson Tatum to a combined 8-for-26 shooting for 11.5 PPG during those games. Kemba Walker, who was a Charlotte Hornet last year, didn’t do much better either, as Denver got him to go 10-for-28 from the floor and commit 10 turnovers in two games.
Offensively, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic will still have the spotlight on offense. Murray posted 29.5 PPG against the Celtics in 2018-19, while Jokic is building off the previous win, where he punched in a season-high 27 points.
Hoping to close out on a high note
The current road trip hasn’t been for the Boston Celtics and they hope to end it with a victory. They dropped two winnable games, including Thursday’s 107-104 overtime loss to the LA Clippers, which would’ve been big given that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George both played. Following the defeat, the Celtics are 11-3, good for second in the East.
They also lost to the Sacramento Kings, who don’t look like they’re going to challenge for a playoff spot this season.
Kemba Walker (22.4 PPG), Jayson Tatum (20.9 PPG), and Jaylen Brown (18.5 PPG) will again be eyed to lead the Celtics’ charge. We should see Tatum shoot with confidence as he is on the heels of season-highs 30 points and five threes, while Walker and Brown should be on a mission to be better than the dreadful 7-for-31 they collectively put out in the Clippers loss.
The Celtics have won six of their nine road games this season. In that span, they have forced opponents to commit 17.2 turnovers per game and only shoot 40.6% from the floor.
PREDICTION:
The Nuggets win courtesy of yet another good defensive effort on Tatum and Walker.
