The Boston Celtics now possess the longest winning streak in the NBA at a total of five games after a surprisingly strong win over Western Conference projected contender Denver Nuggets, with the team’s star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown joining veteran big man Al Horford in securing the victory at TD Garden on Friday night.
Nearly a wire-to-wire affair with Denver’s biggest lead being just 1 point, the win also saw some positive contributions off of the bench for sparsely-played reserve guard Payton Pritchard, who got some extended run in the absence of veteran floor general Malcolm Brogdon after the letter sat out the contest with hamstring soreness.
Let’s take a look at what Celtics and NBA Twitter had to say about a convincing win by Boston over a projected contender.
First quarter
Celtics killer Ish Smith being out tonight is a bigger break for Boston than if Jokic wasn't playing
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) November 12, 2022
Grant "Batman" Williams opens the game up in "The Joker" Nikola Jokic and immediately forces a miss.
Gotham is going to get wild tonight at TD Garden.
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) November 12, 2022
HOW IS THAT A FOUL ON SMART WHEN HE GOT TO THE BALL FIRST?
— Mike Dynon ☘️🏀 (@MikeDynon) November 12, 2022
This team loves running and it's incredible it took years to figure out how to play this way
— Evan Valenti (@EvanValenti) November 12, 2022
Scorching start for the Celtics, who have hit 6 of their first 7 shots and jumping out to a 13-7 lead. Jaylen Brown already has seven points.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 12, 2022
A momentous occasion in NBA history, folks: The NBC Sports Boston broadcast just said the CELTICS got away with an uncalled foul. I believe that's a first.
— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) November 12, 2022
#Celtics have hit 10 of their first 12 shots.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) November 12, 2022
Sam Hauser receives an ovation from the crowd. He just checked in for Marcus Smart
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) November 12, 2022
Kornet looking legit with regular run.
— Dr. Justin Quinn (@justinquinnn) November 12, 2022
Second quarter
Celtics getting out in transition more this season means more mismatches in their early offense. Getting to play against a defense that isn't set creates incredible opportunities. Boston has a 33-25 lead over Denver on 60.9 pct shooting after one quarter.
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) November 12, 2022
Fast PP = Best PP
— Celtics Lab Podcast (@CelticsLab) November 12, 2022
Payton Pritchard hits a layup to close out the worst defensive possession in NBA history. Think that was Boston's 5th chance point on that play.
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) November 12, 2022
Celtics reserves have 8 offensive rebounds tonight already. Nuggets have 8 total rebounds as a team.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) November 12, 2022
What a sequence. And it’s nice to see Payton Pritchard capitalize on these minutes.
Brogdon’s latest injury creates an opportunity for him that could lead to having a role the rest of the season as the Celtics pace Brogdon through the campaign.
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) November 12, 2022
Grant Williams continues to impress hitting these layups off the dribble.
— Matt John (@MattJohnNBA) November 12, 2022
18 minutes into the Celtics/Nuggets game and the they each only have one turnovers. Pretty unreal.
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NBA record for fewest combined turnovers in a game is 6. Took place on January 6, 1979 between the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings.— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) November 12, 2022
Looks like Grant Williams messed up his left leg late in the first half. He is walking with a pretty good limp after an awkward landing chasing an offensive rebound, but walked off under his own power.
Boston leads 66-57 at halftime.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 12, 2022
Third quarter
Boston came in as the No.2 shooting team behind Denver in eFG%, and they take significantly more jumpers than Denver because of offensive scheme.
Real simply, if Boston shoots like this all year long they roll to a title. https://t.co/jsMFS5ncoV
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) November 12, 2022
Grant Williams is back on the floor and walking normally after tweaking his left ankle late in the 2Q. #Celtics #Nuggets
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) November 12, 2022
Four fouls on Marcus Smart.
That gets Payton Pritchard the early call here in the second half.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 12, 2022
Payton Pritchard, offensive boards expert
— Dr. Justin Quinn (@justinquinnn) November 12, 2022
8/8 and counting https://t.co/4WZ99vb9Yh
— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) November 12, 2022
Jokic picks up his fourth foul with 7:03 left in the third and here comes Jeff Green to play center.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 12, 2022
Jaylen Brown has hit his first 10 shots of the night. 22 for him and 23 for Tatum, yet the Celtics are only up 5 with Jokic on the bench in foul trouble.
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) November 12, 2022
In other news the Celtics' 18-point lead is down to 2.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) November 12, 2022
Nuggets spent a lot of energy cutting the lead down but Boston's deep enough even without Brogdon to push the lead back with pure effort plays
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) November 12, 2022
Looked like Jaylen Brown banged knees on that last turnover. He's walking it off though.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 12, 2022
Payton Pritchard has been everywhere tonight
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) November 12, 2022
Put Luke Kornet in the dunk contest
— Mike Prada. (PRAY-duh) (@MikePradaNBA) November 12, 2022
Fourth quarter
Jaylen Brown who left the game late in the 3rd, working out that left knee on the bike… pic.twitter.com/iY6focrrte
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) November 12, 2022
Derrick White is great at the rear-contest block. Does a great job keeping separation to avoid the foul.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 12, 2022
Jayson Tatum landed on MPJ's foot and went down hard. Started massaging his foot before getting up and he is limping it off now. Refs are reviewing for a landing space flagrant.
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) November 12, 2022
Ruling on the floor is a flagrant-1 on Michael Porter Jr..
Tatum makes all three free-throws, Celtics ahead 105-93. Tatum's got 29 points
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) November 12, 2022
Al Horford, who's having a sneaky good game, drains a big 3 for the Celtics.
He's got 18 points (5/10), 7 rebounds and is now 5/7 from 3 after hitting back-to-back. Celtics ahead 111-95
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) November 12, 2022
#Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck and Donnie Wahlberg are on their feet! Furious with Aaron Gordon for plowing through Grant Williams.
— Abby Chin (@tvabby) November 12, 2022
Oh my god Grant Williams just got a wedgie/ledgie combo free throw on a flagrant foul. cc @NoDunksInc
— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) November 12, 2022
Did Scal just say he’s never seen a basketball wedgie before? Lying live on @NBCSBoston.
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) November 12, 2022
Tech on KCP after getting a hard screen from Marcus Smart, who wanted to lay somebody out after he got screened hard on the previous possession. #Celtics #Nuggets
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) November 12, 2022
NBA debut for JD! ☘️☘️☘️
— Maine Celtics (@MaineCeltics) November 12, 2022
Final: Celtics 131, Nuggets 112.
Five wins in a row for Boston, as the Celtics continue to have the league's best offense. Jayson Tatum finishes with 34-8-5 for Boston, while Nikola Jokic had 29-8 for Denver but was -14 on the night.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 12, 2022
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