Jokic and Murray scored a total of 69 points to help the Nuggets hand Celtics their first home loss of the season with an exciting 102-100 win on Friday.
The reigning NBA champions faced off against the league-leading Celtics in a highly anticipated match at Boston’s TD Garden. Denver’s win ended Boston’s 20-game unbeaten streak at home this season, making a strong statement for a potential NBA Finals preview. Both Jokic and Murray showcased outstanding performances, with Jokic recording 34 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, and Murray leading the Nuggets’ scoring with 35 points.
Despite Boston initially building a 12-point lead, Denver managed to claw their way back and secured a 99-98 lead with 3 minutes and 36 seconds remaining. The Celtics missed an opportunity to tie the game, and the Nuggets held on for a hard-fought victory. Boston maintains their top position in the Eastern Conference with 32 wins and 10 defeats, while Denver improved to 29-14 and currently holds the third position in the Western Conference.
In other NBA games, Devin Booker had an outstanding performance, scoring 52 points to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 123-109 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Booker, the Suns’ point guard, made six three-pointers and shot 18 of 30 from the field. Kevin Durant contributed 26 points and Bradley Beal scored 13 for the Suns, while Zion Williamson scored 24 points for the Pelicans, who were behind for most of the game.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ hopes of a comeback were dashed when they were soundly beaten 130-112 by the Brooklyn Nets. Despite recent wins against Oklahoma City and Dallas, which had sparked optimism for the struggling Lakers, their defeat to the Nets brought them back to square one. The Nets, who had been on a four-game losing streak and had lost nine of their last 10 games, were led by Cam Thomas with 33 points off the bench, including four three-pointers. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis scored 26 points and LeBron James scored 24 for the Lakers.
Meanwhile in Orlando, Joel Embiid continued his impressive performance for the Philadelphia 76ers as they defeated the Magic 124-109. The reigning NBA MVP scored 36 points and secured seven rebounds in just three quarters, contributing to the Sixers’ comfortable victory. One standout moment came in the second quarter when the 7ft 2in forward bounced the ball off the backboard and then dunked it himself, prompting his teammates to cheer him on from the bench. This marked Embiid’s 19th consecutive game with 30 or more points as the Sixers secured their fourth straight win.
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