Denver Closes in on OKC for West Lead; Boston Wins Again to Stretch East Lead
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 12 Mar 2024
Powered by Nikola Jokic's triple-double, the defending champion Denver Nuggets relied heavily on their starters to defeat the Toronto Raptors 125-119. This win allowed them to defend their home court and move within a half-game of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Western Conference lead.
Jokic scored 35 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists, leading the charge. Three other Nuggets starters – Jamal Murray (25 points), Aaron Gordon (19 points), and Michael Porter Jr. (19 points) – also played significantly in the win. The Raptors, who needed contributions from seven players scoring 12 points or more to stay competitive, were led by J.R. Barrett (26 points), Kelly Olynyk (24 points), and the rest of their active players.
The Raptors, in fact, were highly competitive in the first two quarters, even holding a 68-51 lead at halftime. However, the Nuggets outscored them in the remaining quarters, 40-32 and 32-21, to secure the victory. This win brings their record to 45 wins and 20 losses, just half a game behind the current leader, the OKC Thunder (45-19).
With a healthy starting lineup, including the returning Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets are motivated to not only climb to the top of the conference but also repeat as Western champions and make another run at the NBA title this 2023-24 season.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics made their intentions clear in the Eastern Conference with another victory, their 50th win against only 14 losses. They dominated the Portland Trail Blazers 121-99 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland.
The Celtics' depth shone again as Sam Hauser (22 points) and Derrick White (11 points) provided strong support off the bench for Jaylen Brown (27 points) and Jason Tatum (26 points) in the absence of Jrue Holiday. Additionally, Al Horford (11 points) and Luke Kornet (7 points) stepped up effectively while Kristaps Porzingis remained out.
Deandre Ayton led Portland with 22 points and 15 rebounds. He received assistance from Anfernee Simons (17 points), Jerami Grant (14 points), and Scoot Henderson (13 points).
This win puts Boston over 8 games ahead of their closest competitors, the Milwaukee Bucks. This strong position makes it highly likely for the Celtics to finish the regular season with the league's best record (after 82 games), granting them a significant advantage in the playoffs, especially the NBA Finals, if they reach that stage.
Photo: Denver's Aaron Gordon (No. 50) powers his way to the basket against four Raptors defenders.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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