Boston Celtics at Denver Nuggets
· NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024Celtics beat the Nuggets 107-103 in the NBA's preseason opener at Abu Dhabi
The Celtics and Nuggets will finish their two-game set in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Denver sat its starters in the second half and Boston sat four of its five starters after halftime, with Luke Kornet the exception. The teams combined to use 36 players — 18 apiece.
Payton Pritchard had a game-high 21 points for Boston, which was 20 of 61 from 3-point range. The Celtics' trio of Olympic gold medalists from this summer's Paris Games — Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White — combined to score 25 points and Jaylen Brown had eight for Boston.
Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 14 for Denver. Russell Westbrook had 12 in his first outing with the Nuggets, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 12 and Jamal Murray — who was in street clothes on the bench by the end of the game — had three points in 15 minutes.
The NBA signed a deal with tourism officials in Abu Dhabi in 2021 to send teams there for preseason trips; the series started with Milwaukee and Atlanta in 2022, and Dallas and Minnesota went last year.
USA Basketball has played in Abu Dhabi in each of the last two summers as well as part of its tuneups for the 2023 Basketball World Cup in the Philippines and the Paris Games.
Regular Season Series
BOS wins series 2-0
Recent Plays
| 4th 0.0 |  |
End of Game | 107 - 103 |
| 4th 0.0 | |
End of the 4th Quarter | 107 - 103 |
| 4th 1.1 |  |
Gabe McGlothan bad pass (Ron Harper Jr. steals) | 107 - 103 |
| 4th 2.1 |  |
JD Davison makes free throw 2 of 2 | 107 - 103 |
| 4th 2.1 | |
Ron Harper Jr. enters the game for Dmytro Skapintsev | 106 - 103 |
Statistics
 BOS |
 DEN |
|
|---|---|---|
| 37-98 | FG | 37-86 |
| 37.8 | Field Goal % | 43.0 |
| 20-61 | 3PT | 12-32 |
| 32.8 | Three Point % | 37.5 |
| 13-17 | FT | 17-26 |
| 76.5 | Free Throw % | 65.4 |
| 44 | Rebounds | 49 |
| 17 | Offensive Rebounds | 12 |
| 27 | Defensive Rebounds | 37 |
| 29 | Assists | 29 |
| 13 | Steals | 10 |
| 8 | Blocks | 2 |
| 17 | Turnovers | 23 |
| 1 | Team Turnovers | 1 |
| 18 | Total Turnovers | 24 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 1 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 1 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 24 | Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 27 |
| 12 | Fast Break Points | 11 |
| 30 | Points in Paint | 50 |
| 24 | Fouls | 24 |
| 7 | Largest Lead | 12 |
Game Information
Location: Abu Dhabi,
Attendance: 12,002 · Capacity:
2024-25 Atlantic Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Boston |
47 | 19 | .712 | - | L1 |
 New York |
42 | 23 | .646 | 4.5 | W2 |
 Toronto |
23 | 43 | .348 | 24 | W2 |
 Philadelphia |
22 | 43 | .338 | 24.5 | L2 |
 Brooklyn |
22 | 44 | .333 | 25 | L2 |
2024-25 Northwest Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Oklahoma City |
54 | 12 | .818 | - | W1 |
 Denver |
42 | 24 | .636 | 12 | L1 |
 Minnesota |
38 | 29 | .567 | 16.5 | W6 |
 Portland |
28 | 39 | .418 | 26.5 | L5 |
 Utah |
15 | 51 | .227 | 39 | L7 |
NBA News
Sources: Exum breaks bone in hand as Mavericks' woes worsen
Mavericks guard Dante Exum suffered a broken bone in his left hand during Friday night's game against the Rockets and is out indefinitely, sources told ESPN.
Siakam scores 27 points and helps Pacers rally with big second half to beat the 76ers 112-100
— Pascal Siakam scored 17 of his 27 points in the second half, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-100 on Friday night.
Sources: NBA reviewing Thunder sitting 5 starters vs. Blazers
The NBA is investigating a March 7 game in which the Thunder rested starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein as well as Cason Wallace.
Devin Vassell fights off defender for and-1
Devin Vassell fights off defender for and-1