Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets performs a hit with Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics during the 4th round at Ball Arena on January 1, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, and the Denver Nuggets won their eighth straight home game by beating the Boston Celtics 123-111 on Sunday night.
Jokic made 10 of his 13 scoring attempts and was 8 to 8 from the free throw. It was his ninth double of the season.
Denver shot 57% away (45 to 79) and improved its home record to 14-3. Three home defeats totaled six points. The Nuggets also ended a six-game losing streak against the Celtics.
Jaylen Brown (30 points) and Jayson Tatum (25) led the attack in Boston. The Celtics, which entered the competition on a four-game winning streak, fell 11-6 along the way.
Nuggets are 17 out of 30 from behind the 3-point arc. The Celtics are 9 out of 33.
30 PTS, 12 REB, 12 AST… Nikola Jokic wasted no time scoring his first double in 2023 đŸ‘€@miner roll to win at home! pic.twitter.com/PLsDSSaStD
– NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2023
Denver competed without keeper Jamal Murray (injury management). Bruce Brown replaced Murray in the starting lineup and finished with 21 points. He made four of his six 3-point attempts. Murray is averaging 31.8 minutes and 18.2 points per game this season.
Michael Porter Jr. (19), Aaron Gordon (18) and Bones Hyland (17) also scored twice as many for Denver, leading with 18 points in the fourth quarter.
The Nuggets led 37-28 after one half and 62-54 after halftime. Denver’s first-half lead hit 15 points in the second quarter.
Jokic led all scorers in the first half with 20 points. The Celtics were 3 of 14 trying to get 3 points in the first half and 3 of 19 in the first half.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla is back after missing two games with an eye injury. Bodyguard Malcolm Brogdon and center back Blake Griffin, who were absent from Thursday’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers due to illness, were present on Sunday. Brogdon scored four points with four assists in 20 minutes, and Griffin did not play.
It was the second meeting between the teams this season. Boston beat Denver with a score of 131-112 on November 11 in Boston.
The game was postponed nearly 40 minutes to adjust one of the baskets after Robert Williams’ pitch in the middle of the fourth half.
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