Game ID: 22400866
Denver Nuggets @ Boston Celtics
Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
BOS 32 29 22 27 110DEN 20 28 29 26 103
BOS vs DEN ScoutingBOS vs DEN Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
BOS availability going into 2/23 · 2 days' restBACK Brown back 2/20 after 2, 27 min since (78% of 35)
BACK Holiday back 2/20 after 4, 20 min since (64% of 31)
BACK Queta back 2/06 after 3, 9 min since (71% of 13)
BACK Scheierman back 2/08 after 7, 5 min since (43% of 12)
BOS availability going into 2/25 · 1 day's restBACK Brown back 2/20 after 2, 32 min since (92% of 35)
BACK Holiday back 2/20 after 4, 26 min since (83% of 31)
BACK Scheierman back 2/08 after 7, 5 min since (43% of 12)
NEW Porziņģis 27 to 32 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 2/26 · back-to-backBACK Brown back 2/20 after 2, 32 min since (93% of 35)
BACK Holiday back 2/20 after 4, 26 min since (83% of 31)
NEW Porziņģis 27 to 32 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 2/28 · 1 day's restOUT Kornet missed 2 since 2/25, returns tonight: 19 min (105% of 18)
BACK Brown back 2/20 after 2, 32 min since (93% of 35)
BACK Holiday back 2/20 after 4, 28 min since (89% of 31)
BOS availability going into 3/02 · 1 day's restBACK Brown back 2/20 after 2, 33 min since (95% of 35)
BACK Holiday back 2/20 after 4, 28 min since (89% of 31)
BACK Kornet back 2/28 after 2, 19 min since (105% of 18)
BOS availability going into 3/05 · 2 days' restOUT Holiday missed 2 since 2/28, out tonight
OUT Porziņģis missed 2 since 2/28, out tonight
OUT Scheierman missed 2 since 2/28, out tonight
BACK Kornet back 2/28 after 2, 25 min since (136% of 18)
BOS availability going into 3/06 · back-to-backOUT Holiday missed 3 since 2/28, out tonight
OUT Porziņģis missed 3 since 2/28, out tonight
OUT Scheierman missed 3 since 2/28, returns tonight: 30 min (257% of 12)
BACK Kornet back 2/28 after 2, 24 min since (132% of 18)
NEW Horford 28 to 34 min over the last 4
NEW Hauser 21 to 28 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 3/08 · 1 day's restOUT Holiday missed 4 since 2/28, returns tonight: 35 min (112% of 31)
OUT Porziņģis missed 4 since 2/28, out tonight
BACK Kornet back 2/28 after 2, 26 min since (143% of 18)
BACK Scheierman back 3/06 after 3, 30 min since (257% of 12)
NEW Horford 28 to 34 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 3/10 · 1 day's restOUT Porziņģis missed 5 since 2/28, out tonight
BACK Holiday back 3/08 after 4, 35 min since (112% of 31)
BACK Kornet back 2/28 after 2, 23 min since (126% of 18)
BACK Scheierman back 3/06 after 3, 30 min since (257% of 12)
NEW Horford 28 to 35 min over the last 4
DEN availability going into 2/22 · 1 day's restOUT Watson missed 8 since 2/01, out tonight
BACK Porter Jr. back 2/20 after 3, 29 min since (87% of 33)
BACK Westbrook back 2/20 after 7, 26 min since (94% of 27)
BACK Šarić back 2/12 after 14, 8 min since (58% of 13)
NEW Strawther 20 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Pickett 13 to 27 min over the last 4
NEW Nnaji 10 to 23 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 2/24 · 1 day's restOUT Watson missed 9 since 2/01, out tonight
OUT Šarić missed 2 since 2/20, out tonight
BACK Porter Jr. back 2/20 after 3, 30 min since (89% of 33)
BACK Westbrook back 2/20 after 7, 25 min since (91% of 27)
NEW Strawther 20 to 26 min over the last 5
NEW Pickett 13 to 20 min over the last 4
NEW Nnaji 10 to 21 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 2/27 · 2 days' restOUT Watson missed 10 since 2/01, out tonight
OUT Šarić missed 3 since 2/20, out tonight
BACK Porter Jr. back 2/20 after 3, 31 min since (92% of 33)
BACK Westbrook back 2/20 after 7, 24 min since (89% of 27)
NEW Nnaji 10 to 22 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 2/28 · back-to-backOUT Watson missed 11 since 2/01, out tonight
OUT Šarić missed 4 since 2/20, returns tonight: 4 min (27% of 13)
BACK Porter Jr. back 2/20 after 3, 32 min since (96% of 33)
BACK Westbrook back 2/20 after 7, 25 min since (90% of 27)
NEW Nnaji 10 to 20 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 3/02 · 1 day's restOUT Watson missed 12 since 2/01, out tonight
BACK Porter Jr. back 2/20 after 3, 33 min since (100% of 33)
BACK Westbrook back 2/20 after 7, 24 min since (88% of 27)
BACK Šarić back 2/28 after 4, 4 min since (27% of 13)
NEW Nnaji 10 to 17 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 3/05 · 2 days' restOUT Gordon missed 2 since 2/28, out tonight
OUT Watson missed 13 since 2/01, returns tonight: 17 min (75% of 23)
BACK Šarić back 2/28 after 4, 4 min since (27% of 13)
DEN availability going into 3/07 · 1 day's restOUT Gordon missed 3 since 2/28, returns tonight: 39 min (128% of 30)
OUT Šarić missed 2 since 3/02, out tonight
BACK Watson back 3/05 after 13, 17 min since (75% of 23)
NEW Nnaji 10 to 16 min over the last 5
DEN availability going into 3/09 · 1 day's restOUT Strawther missed 2 since 3/05, out tonight
OUT Šarić missed 3 since 3/02, out tonight
OUT Jordan missed 2 since 3/05, out tonight
BACK Gordon back 3/07 after 3, 39 min since (128% of 30)
BACK Watson back 3/05 after 13, 20 min since (90% of 23)
DEN availability going into 3/10 · back-to-backOUT Strawther missed 3 since 3/05, out tonight
OUT Šarić missed 4 since 3/02, out tonight
OUT Jordan missed 3 since 3/05, out tonight
BACK Gordon back 3/07 after 3, 23 min since (75% of 30)
BACK Watson back 3/05 after 13, 16 min since (69% of 23)
NEW Porter Jr. 33 to 38 min over the last 5
NEW Nnaji 10 to 17 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 110, shooting 47 percent and 40 from three, 13 free throws a game; Tatum at 26 and Brown at 26 a game. One day's rest. Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 119, shooting 49 percent and 41 from three, 19 free throws a game; Murray at 24 and Jokić at 23 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Watson (12 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Denver has been plus-9 a night and Boston minus-2 and the turnovers, Denver giving it away 17 times a game to Boston's 12. Call it Boston 117, Denver 114, Denver keeping it close.
2/23 vs NYK 118-105 — BOS notes
BOS won 118-105. BOS shot 49% (45 of 91) to NYK's 43%, 17 of 44 from three. Tatum led with 25 (8 of 20, 3 of 10 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Brown added 24, White 19. The hinge was Q1, 38-19: from level to 19 ahead, and the lead reached 27. White was the night's best plus/minus at +19.
2/25 @ TOR 111-101 — BOS notes
BOS won 111-101. BOS shot 47% (44 of 93) to TOR's 51%, 15 of 51 from three, and got to the line 8 times to TOR's 16. Brown led with 24 (10 of 18, 0 of 5 from three); White added 22, Pritchard 20. The hinge was Q1, 35-24: from level to 11 ahead, and the lead reached 17. Tatum was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
2/26 @ DET 97-117 — BOS notes
BOS lost 97-117. BOS shot 41% (33 of 80) to DET's 53%, 21 of 49 from three. BOS turned it over 17 times to DET's 12, and DET turned those into 13 steals. The glass went 32-51 against them. Tatum led with 27 (10 of 19, 4 of 9 from three); Pritchard added 18, White 18. Q2 was theirs, 35-26, the deficit cut from 9 to 0, but the other 3 periods went 91-62 against them. Porziņģis's -24 in 26 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/28 vs CLE 116-123 — BOS notes
BOS lost 116-123. BOS shot 48% (43 of 89) to CLE's 48%, 17 of 39 from three. Tatum led with 46 (19 of 37, 4 of 12 from three); Brown added 37, White 16. Q1 was theirs, 38-26, but the other 3 periods went 97-78 against them. They led by as many as 22. Pritchard's -36 in 25 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/02 vs DEN 110-103 — BOS notes
BOS won 110-103. BOS shot 47% (37 of 78) to DEN's 48%, 14 of 34 from three, and went to the line 27 times to DEN's 13 — 22 points from the stripe to their 9. Brown led with 22 (6 of 15, 2 of 4 from three, 8 of 9 at the line); Horford added 19, White 17. The hinge was Q1, 32-20: from level to 12 ahead, and the lead reached 20. Queta was the night's best plus/minus at +11.
3/05 vs POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 110, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 16 free throws a game; Brown at 27 and Tatum at 27 a game. Without Holiday (2 straight), Porziņģis (2 straight). 2 days' rest. Portland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 114, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 28 free throws a game; Simons at 24 and Sharpe at 22 a game. Without Grant (3 straight), Ayton (8 straight), Thybulle (62 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the line, where Portland takes 28 free throws a game to Boston's 16 and the glass, where Portland has been plus-4 a night and Boston minus-2. Call it Boston 115, Portland 112, Portland keeping it close.
3/06 vs PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 40 from three, 17 free throws a game; Tatum at 27 and Brown at 25 a game. Without Holiday (3 straight), Porziņģis (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Philadelphia comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 123, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 23 free throws a game; Oubre Jr. at 22 and Grimes at 20 a game. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Okeke (10 straight), Lowry (9 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 112 a night to Philadelphia's 123 and the glass, where Boston has been minus-1 a night and Philadelphia minus-7. Call it Boston 117, Philadelphia 110.
3/08 vs LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 113, shooting 47 percent and 42 from three, 18 free throws a game; Tatum at 31 and Brown at 26 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Holiday (4 straight), Porziņģis (4 straight). One day's rest. The Lakers come in 5-0 over their last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 106, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 29 free throws a game; Dončić at 29 and James at 29 a game. That is 5 straight wins. They have won the glass by 5 a night. Without Hachimura (4 straight), Reddish (16 straight), Goodwin (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the line, where the Lakers take 29 free throws a game to Boston's 18 and the arc, Boston at 42 percent from three to the Lakers' 35. Call it Boston 113, the Lakers 112, the Lakers keeping it close.
3/10 vs UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 110, shooting 48 percent and 40 from three, 20 free throws a game; Tatum at 34 and Brown at 27 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Porziņģis (5 straight). One day's rest. Utah comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 126, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 28 free throws a game; George at 21 and Filipowski at 20 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Markkanen (8 straight), Collins (5 straight), Clarkson (6 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 110 a night to Utah's 126 and the turnovers, Utah giving it away 19 times a game to Boston's 11. Call it Boston 122, Utah 110, Boston by 12.
2/22 vs LAL 100-123 — DEN notes
DEN lost 100-123. DEN shot 40% (34 of 85) to LAL's 50%, 16 of 41 from three. DEN turned it over 20 times to LAL's 8, and LAL turned those into 15 steals. Gordon led with 24 (9 of 15, 4 of 7 from three); Murray added 19, Westbrook 17. Q3 was theirs, 33-33, but the other 3 periods went 90-67 against them. Murray's -28 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/24 @ IND 125-116 — DEN notes
DEN won 125-116. DEN shot 56% (53 of 94) to IND's 47%, 8 of 21 from three, and got to the line 14 times to IND's 27. The glass went 46-32 for them. Gordon led with 25 (11 of 17, 2 of 4 from three); Porter Jr. added 19, Jokić 18. The hinge was Q3, 36-25: a lead of 6 became 17. Jokić was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
2/27 @ MIL 112-121 — DEN notes
DEN lost 112-121. DEN took 15 more shots (105 to 90), fed by 14 offensive rebounds, but shot 45% to MIL's 47%, 9 of 34 from three, and got to the line 11 times to MIL's 28. Jokić led with 32 (13 of 16, 5 of 7 at the line); Murray added 20, Braun 13. Q2 was theirs, 27-24, but the other 3 periods went 97-85 against them. M. Porter Jr.'s -20 in 35 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/28 @ DET 134-119 — DEN notes
DEN won 134-119. DEN shot 56% (47 of 84) to DET's 45%, 17 of 31 from three, and went to the line 31 times to DET's 23 — 23 points from the stripe to their 17. DEN turned it over 19 times to DET's 10, and DET turned those into 15 steals. Murray led with 31 (10 of 22, 5 of 9 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Porter Jr. added 28, Braun 23. The hinge was Q3, 39-24: a lead of 5 became 20, and the lead reached 25. Porter Jr. was the night's best plus/minus at +35.
3/02 @ BOS 103-110 — DEN notes
DEN lost 103-110. DEN took 8 more shots (86 to 78), but shot 48% to BOS's 47%, 12 of 35 from three, and got to the line 13 times to BOS's 27. Murray led with 26 (11 of 20, 2 of 7 from three); Braun added 24, Jokić 20. Q3 was theirs, 29-22, the deficit cut from 13 to 6, but the other 3 periods went 88-74 against them. Strawther's -18 in 14 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/05 vs SAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 118, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 18 free throws a game; Murray at 22 and Jokić at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Gordon (2 straight), Watson (13 straight). 2 days' rest. Sacramento comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 104, shooting 52 percent and 42 from three, 16 free throws a game; LaVine at 24 and DeRozan at 22 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 6 a night. One day's rest.
So: Sacramento wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Sacramento allowing 104 a night to Denver's 118. Call it Sacramento 116, Denver 115, Denver keeping it close.
3/07 vs PHX — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 115, shooting 50 percent and 37 from three, 20 free throws a game; Murray at 23 and Jokić at 23 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Gordon (3 straight). One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 123, shooting 51 percent and 43 from three, 19 free throws a game; Durant at 26 and Booker at 23 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the arc, Phoenix at 43 percent from three to Denver's 37 and the defense, Denver allowing 115 a night to Phoenix's 123. Call it Denver 121, Phoenix 115.
3/09 @ OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 129 a night and allowing 114, shooting 50 percent and 43 from three, 19 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 38 and Jal. Williams at 26 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Holmgren (2 straight). One day's rest. Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 120, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 21 free throws a game; Jokić at 26 and Murray at 24 a game. Without Strawther (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Denver has been plus-2 a night and OKC minus-3 and the defense, OKC allowing 114 a night to Denver's 120. Call it OKC 122, Denver 116.
3/10 @ OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 111, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 22 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 41 and Jal. Williams at 28 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Second night of a back-to-back. Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 121, shooting 50 percent and 41 from three, 22 free throws a game; Jokić at 24 and Murray at 23 a game. Without Strawther (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the defense, OKC allowing 111 a night to Denver's 121. Call it OKC 122, Denver 114.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
BOSAH A. Horford
DW D. White
JB J. Brown
JT J. Tatum
LK L. Kornet
NQ N. Queta
PP P. Pritchard
SH S. Hauser
TC T. Craig
DENCB C. Braun
DJ D. Jordan
JM J. Murray
JP J. Pickett
JS J. Strawther
MP M. Porter Jr.
NJ N. Jokić
RW R. Westbrook
ZN Z. Nnaji
BOS/DEN the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Brown scores 22, Celtics beat Nuggets 110-103 despite 20 points, 14 boards and 9 assists from Jokic
BOSTON -- — Jaylen Brown scored 22 points and Derek White hit a floater from the foul line with less than a minute left on Sunday to help the Boston Celtics recover after blowing most of a 20-point, first-half lead and beat the Denver Nuggets 110-103.
Jayson Tatum scored 16 points with 11 rebounds and White scored 17 for Boston, which has not lost three games in a row all season.
Nikola Jokic had 20 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, and Christian Braun scored 24 for Denver, which has lost three of its last five games.
One game after blowing a 22-point lead and losing to the NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers , the Celtics coughed up most of a 20-point lead against Denver, the No. 2 team in the West. The Nuggets, who trailed 59-39 in the final minutes of the first half, scored 10 straight points near the end of the third to cut a 15-point lead to five.
Takeaways Nuggets: Jokic appeared to be limping from the opening tap. If he's hurt, that could be a big problem for Denver down the stretch.
Celtics: Have shown a tendency to relax after opening big leads.
Key moment After Murray made a 3-pointer to make it a five-point game with about three minutes left, Boston missed three times and turned the ball over once before Murray's layup made it 102-99.
Brown drove to the basket and missed, but White followed the play, grabbing the ball near the free-throw line and floating in a basket to make it a two-possession game. At the other end, Murray threw the ball away, and Al Horford finished the fast break.
Key stat Tatum was 4 for 15 from the floor, making just 1 of 7 from 3-point range.
Up next Both teams are off until Wednesday, when the Celtics host Portland and the Nuggets host Sacramento.