The Celtics held up well defensively against the Nuggets.
They did the same two months ago. Joe Mazzulla exited the game confident. He liked the shots Boston generated and missed in crunch time before a clunky final possession cost the Celtics the opportunity to at least force overtime. Despite the crushing, repeated blows that Aaron Gordon provided along the back line and the staggering visual of 32 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 0 turnovers from Nikola Jokic, Boston trailed by two points again late despite some of the team’s most erratic offensive execution costing them all night.