The Celtics wrapped up their road trip with a solid win against the Denver Nuggets, capping off a successful 3-1 stretch away from home. Even without Nikola Jokic in the lineup for Denver, this victory felt significant.
Kristaps Porzingis had his best game since returning from injury, setting the tone early with 15 points in the first quarter. Without Jokic to contend with, KP took full advantage of mismatches and showed why he’s such a valuable addition to our roster.
The game wasn’t all smooth sailing though. We built a 15-point lead in the first quarter, but the Nuggets, led by a red-hot Jamal Murray, stormed back in the second. Murray was hitting tough shots left and right, and we struggled to contain him initially.
Jaylen Brown had a quiet first half offensively, but he made his presence felt with five assists. In the third quarter, Brown not only woke up on offense but also clamped down on Murray defensively, which was crucial in shifting momentum back our way.
Jrue Holiday might not get the headlines, but he was low-key the MVP of this game. He came up clutch in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his 19 points and making big plays when we needed them most. That’s exactly why we brought him in – to be that steady veteran presence in crucial moments.
There’s a growing confidence in the locker room after this road trip, and as Porzingis mentioned post-game, we feel like we’re on the verge of really hitting our stride. Sure, we had that rough second half against OKC, but overall, we’re starting to put the pieces together.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier with the Kings coming to town on Friday, but if we can carry this momentum forward, we might be in for a strong run through January.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Celtics’ road trip success and growing team chemistry, tune into the Locked On Celtics podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Celtics Podcast:
• Analyzing the Celtics’ defensive adjustments in the second half
• The impact of Derrick White’s absence
• Joe Mazzulla’s thoughts on the team’s evolving mindset
