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Nuggets remind Celtics who holds the crown, highlighting wild night of big games across NBA

DENVER NUGGETS VS BOSTON CELTICS, NBA

DENVER, CO - MARCH 7: Aaron Gordon (50) of the Denver Nuggets shouts after catching a lob from Nikola Jokic (15) and dunking against the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 115-109 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Denver Post via Getty Images

Sometimes it’s Christmas in March with the NBA — as in a lineup of great games all night long. That’s what we had Thursday night, like Fight Night in the NBA with a full card of great games. Let’s break them all down, starting with a statement from the champs.

DENVER 115, BOSTON 109

“You come at the king, you best not miss.”

Omar was not talking about Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets when he uttered that line on “The Wire,” but he might as well have been. The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the NBA this season — best record (48-14), best point differential (+11.1) and a starting five with a +12.6 net rating.

However, they are 0-2 against the defending champs this season. Thursday night the Celtics were reminded that taking the Larry O’Brien Trophy away from the Nuggets will require another level of execution from them.

Nikola Jokic strengthened his MVP case with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists for his 20th triple-double of the season, leading Denver to the win. His best plays of the night were assists, two late alley-oops to Aaron Gordon after Jokic backed his defender deep in the paint and forced Kristaps Porzingis to slide over and help (a play they unleashed against the Lakers earlier in the week and other teams this season as well).

Boston was not crisp against the length of the Nuggets — the ball got stuck too often, their passing wasn’t sharp, and Jayson Tatum had five of the team’s 12 turnovers on the night (as well as missing a late-game wide-open corner 3 that proved to be a dagger miss). They also shot 11-of-38 from 3 (28.9%), Boston’s reliance on that shot makes them vulnerable when they don’t fall because they get away from attacking the rim.

The only Celtic who was hot was Jaylen Brown, who finished with 41 points. Kristaps Porzingis had 24 points but needed 23 shots to get there. Jrue Holiday stepped up late and had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth to keep it close.

Jamal Murray added 19 points and eight assists for Denver, but in the end this was the Nikola Jokic show — and no team in the league has figured out how to beat him yet. Including Boston.

DALLAS 114, MIAMI 108

This is exactly why none of the teams at the top of the West wants to see Dallas in the first round — Luka Doncic can take over and get the Mavericks a win almost any night.

Thursday night, he put up a 35-point, 11 rebound, and 11 assist triple-double against a top-10 defense in Miami to help Dallas hang on in the fourth and get the win. I mean, what are you going to do about this?

Kyrie Irving added 23 for the Mavericks, while Terry Rozier led the Heat with 27.

MINNESOTA 113, INDIANA 111

This game initially felt like it turned on the first possession of the night, when Anthony Edwards tried to drive baseline, stepped on the foot of defender Aaron Nesmith, and rolled his ankle. He limped straight back to the locker room. Timberwolves nation held its breath.

Not to worry, Ant’s ankle was just fine. Not only was he back on the court four minutes later — likely after a new tape job — Edwards dominated the rest of the game, scoring 44 and then making the block of the season to save the game and avoid overtime.

SACRAMENTO 131, SAN ANTONIO 129

Let’s ignore the fact the Kings needed late-game heroics to beat a Spurs team without Victor Wembanyama and instead talk about this:

Domantas Sabonis has to be seriously considered for All-NBA. I don’t know that he’ll make it; the Kings’ struggles don’t help his cause, but the man is averaging 19. 8 points a game on 60.7% shooting (41.2% from 3) plus 13.5 rebounds and 8.4 assists a night. Thursday night, his steal and breakaway dunk proved to be the game-winning play.

CHICAGO 125, GOLDEN STATE 122

The story here isn’t that the Warriors are inconsistent — we knew that already — but rather that late in the fourth quarter Stephen Curry rolled his ankle and limped back to the locker room after.

Nikola Vucevic and DeMar DeRozan had big nights for the Bulls, each scoring 33 points. Vucevic was the hero, sinking two free throws with 6.1 seconds left to secure the win.