Nuggets at Celtics
The Boston Celtics have added a top-level offense to their already stout defense and are beginning to climb the standings in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics will try to push their latest winning streak to four straight when they host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
Boston is averaging 112.6 points in its last nine games and is among the league leaders in field-goal percentage defense. The Celtics put both on display in a 116-91 win at the Washington Wizards on Monday, as six players scored in double figures while the defense forced 20 turnovers and held Washington star John Wall to eight points on 3-of-11 shooting. Boston will turn its offense loose against the Nuggets, who have allowed over 100 points in five straight and are coming off a 119-105 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The defense was horrible," Denver guard Emmanuel Mudiay told reporters. "We definitely could have come out there with better energy."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), CSN New England (Boston)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (17-28): Denver had a chance to make a move toward the top eight in the Western Conference with an eight-game homestand but dropped three of the final four to finish 4-4. “This homestand really is a microcosm of who we've been the whole year," Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters about the team’s inconsistency. "We go 4-4. I wish it was better, but hopefully we can get right on this road trip.” Denver will stop at Boston, Washington and Indiana on the trip and will play 10 of their next 14 away from home.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (25-21): Boston point guard Isaiah Thomas is waiting to hear if he made the All-Star team as an Eastern Conference reserve and continues to put up All-Star numbers. The diminutive 26-year-old went for 23 points and nine assists while helping out defensively on Wall on Monday and has scored 20 or more points in six straight games. Thomas is averaging 23.1 points in the last eight games, during which the Celtics have gone 6-2 to move four games over .500.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Celtics C Kelly Olynyk is 11-of-16 from 3-point range over the last five games.
2. Nuggets C Nikola Jokic is averaging 16 points on 12-of-18 shooting in the last two contests.
3. Boston took both meetings last season by a total of five points.