DENVER — For the second time this week — and for the second time this season in opposition to the Denver Nuggets — Jayson Tatum had the ball in his arms with an opportunity to place the Boston Celtics forward within the closing seconds.
As soon as once more, Tatum did not reap the benefits of the chance.
With the Celtics down by two, Tatum missed a wide-open nook 3-pointer with 45 seconds to go, capping an unsightly efficiency on what turned out to be Boston’s closing likelihood to take the lead. After the miss, Nikola Jokic completed a 32-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist triple-double with a lob to Aaron Gordon for a dunk that prolonged Denver’s lead in its 115-109 victory.
“That nook 3, it was a superb shot,” Tatum mentioned. “I believed it was moving into. We had some alternatives.”
That Boston (48-14) even had an opportunity to win was outstanding given how listless Tatum was all through. He completed with 15 factors on 5-for-13 capturing to associate with 4 rebounds and eight assists. Along with the wide-open missed 3, Tatum had a few essential turnovers in transition within the fourth quarter, made a number of passive drives to the rim and was usually not as concerned as he usually is.
“I feel with the dynamic of our group, when different guys form of obtained it moving into a rhythm, in a stream … you bought to area the ground,” Tatum mentioned when requested about his efficiency. “We at all times speak about respecting different folks’s area. If that requires being within the nook or passing them the ball, that is what we’re making an attempt to do on that possession. You bought to honor that.”
The Celtics stayed within the sport because of a sensational efficiency from Jaylen Brown, who had 41 factors, 14 rebounds, 4 assists and a couple of steals in 41 minutes. However they repeatedly price themselves with sloppy play, giving the Nuggets (43-20) a 16-6 edge in factors off turnovers, and completed 11-for-38 (28.9%) from 3-point vary.
“Simply too many errors,” Brown mentioned. “Towards a superb group, we obtained to take benefit. Turnovers, free throws, simply lacking the defensive assignments, all of that stuff, we obtained to be higher at.
“And that begins with me, it begins on the prime, begins with Jayson. … We made too many errors, and it price us the sport.”
The Nuggets have been ruthless in exploiting these errors, notably Jokic, who had a second straight masterful efficiency in opposition to Boston. His 32-point triple-double Thursday night time got here after he had 34 factors, 12 rebounds and 9 assists in Denver’s win in Boston in January.
Jokic repeatedly discovered himself in single protection in opposition to Kristaps Porzingis and used his dimension and power to bully himself right down to the basket for simple buckets. When Boston introduced a double-team, Jokic would typically reply by hitting Gordon for lob dunks, together with the one which ended Boston’s comeback hopes with 19 seconds to go.
“He is the middle that I’ve at all times, the participant that I’ve at all times dreamed of taking part in with,” Gordon mentioned of Jokic afterward. “He is somebody that sees the ground, somebody that’s tremendous unselfish. And I feel he likes simply the truth that he can simply throw it wherever and I will go get it.”
Porzingis mentioned he discovered some issues about guarding Jokic that he’ll take into their subsequent encounter — one the Celtics hope may very well be within the NBA Finals.
“He was positively in his bag tonight,” mentioned Porzingis, who completed with 24 factors and 12 rebounds. “He is simply an unbelievable basketball participant. Some issues I discovered from him right this moment, truly. He is simply so good, so artful, so many issues that you do not see that he does on the ground that helps that group win. It is unbelievable.”
Like the primary assembly between these groups, Thursday’s sport had a playoff ambiance, as each groups performed their starters heavy minutes. That first sport was performed in a raucous however very one-sided TD Backyard, and Thursday’s sport at Denver’s Ball Area nonetheless featured various Celtics followers within the crowd.
That allowed Nuggets coach Michael Malone to repeat a line that he has used previously.
“It’s important to give the Celtics followers some credit score,” he mentioned. “They at all times come out robust. However you recognize what we are saying, proper? They’ll take that L on the best way out, child.”
The Celtics misplaced their second sport in a row after a disappointing collapse in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, one which noticed Tatum miss a possible game-winning jumper within the closing seconds.
Boston hasn’t performed its greatest in its two video games in opposition to Denver, capturing a mixed 25-for-82 (30.4%) from 3-point vary. Tatum has shot 14-for-37 (37.8%) in these video games.
However after developing quick in each of their cracks on the defending champions, the common message from the Celtics was that for issues to vary in a possible NBA Finals collection in June, they’re going to merely need to be higher.
“That is a very good group over there,” Tatum mentioned. “Effectively coached. They make the precise performs most of the time, and you bought to beat them. You’ll be able to’t rely on them to beat themselves. They’re only a actually good ballclub over there.”