Nuggets Edge Celtics In Overtime Thriller As Jokic Drops Triple-Double

Nuggets Edge Celtics In Overtime Thriller As Jokic Drops Triple-Double...

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Boston Celtics 115-112 in overtime Thursday night in a potential NBA Finals preview that lived up to the hype. Nikola Jokic recorded his 15th triple-double of the season with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, outdueling Jayson Tatum's 35-point effort for Boston.

The matchup between the defending champion Nuggets (39-19) and league-leading Celtics (45-12) is trending nationally as fans debate whether this could be a championship preview. The game drew significant attention with both teams entering as top contenders from their respective conferences.

Denver's Jamal Murray hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:21 left in overtime, part of his 26-point performance. Celtics guard Derrick White missed a potential game-tying three at the buzzer after Boston erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime.

"These are the games you want to play in," Jokic told reporters postgame. "Boston is probably the best team in the league right now, so this shows we can play with anyone." The win snapped Denver's three-game losing streak against Boston dating back to 2022.

The game gained additional significance as the teams' first meeting since ESPN's recent poll of NBA executives named the Celtics championship favorites (53%) over the Nuggets (23%). Social media erupted with reactions to Jokic's dominant performance against Boston's top-ranked defense.

Boston's Kristaps Porzingis returned from a three-game absence to score 24 points but committed a critical turnover in the final minute of overtime. The Celtics fell to 0-3 in overtime games this season despite Tatum's 12 fourth-quarter points.

NBA fans are particularly engaged with this matchup as both teams prepare for the stretch run before the playoffs. The Nuggets improved to 17-4 in games decided by five points or fewer, while the Celtics dropped to 7-6 in such contests.

The teams won't meet again in the regular season unless both advance to the NBA Finals. Thursday's thriller only intensified speculation about a potential June rematch with higher stakes.

Denver continues its road trip Saturday at Golden State, while Boston hosts New York on Saturday in another marquee matchup. Both games will air nationally as the NBA playoff picture continues to take shape.