The Boston Celtics rallied from a 19 point third quarter deficit Friday night cutting it to just a single point in the fourth, but fell short of rallying all the way back in a 96-92 loss to the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
Denver (11-3) led from start to finish using a 9-2 run late in the first to take a 27-13 lead after the opening 12 minutes. The Nuggets led by 16 early in the second and led by 11 at the half. The Celtics biggest concern was an injury to point guard Kemba Walker who hit his face off the knee of teammate Semi Ojeleye in the second quarter and had to be taken off the floor on a stretcher and sent to a local hospital. The word on Walker was concussion like symptoms and he is going to be ok, likely to be entered into the concussion protocol.
With Denver still leading by 13 entering the fourth quarter, Boston (11-4) made their run. Brad Wanamaker made two from the line 1:30 in to cut it into single digits for the first time since the first quarter at 70-61. With the score 75-67 Nuggets, the Celtics rattled off a 9-2 run finished off by a Jaylen Brown driving layup to cut it to 77-76 with 4:33 left. After falling back down by five, Wanamaker made it three once again with a layup with just over a minute to go. Paul Millsap hit the key shot though with a three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining to up the lead to 91-85. That shot deflated Boston who couldn’t recover losing their second straight game and going 2-3 on the West Coast road trip.
Brown led Boston with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Jayson Tatum added 16 points, Marcus Smart had 15 points, six rebounds, and three assists while Wanamaker finished with 14 points and four assists. Jamal Murray led Denver with 22 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Nikola Jokic had a triple double with 18 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Will Barton also chipped in 15 points and five assists, while Millsap had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Boston will look to avenge one of the West Coast losses when it hosts the Sacremento Kings on Monday night at 7:30 p.m.
