LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray combined for 69 points as the Denver Nuggets ended Boston’s unbeaten home start to the season with a thrilling 102-100 victory on Friday.
A heavyweight showdown between the reigning National Basketball Association champions and a league-leading Celtics side lived up to the billing in a gripping battle at Boston’s TD Garden.
Denver’s victory snapped Boston’s 20-game unbeaten run at home this season, the Nuggets laying down a psychological marker in what could well turn out to be a possible NBA Finals preview.
Both two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic and Murray were in scintillating form throughout.
Jokic finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists while Murray led the Nuggets scoring with 35 points from 15-of-21 shooting.
“During the season you’ve got to find ways of motivating yourself and your team, and them not having a loss at home really motivated us,” Murray said afterwards.
Derrick White led Boston’s scoring with 24 points while Jayson Tatum added 22 and Kristaps Porzingis 21.
Boston remain top of the Eastern Conference with 32 wins and 10 defeats, leading second placed Milwaukee (28-13).
Denver improved to 29-14 and are third in the Western Conference behind Minnesota (30-11) and Oklahoma City (28-13).
In other games around the NBA on Friday, Devin Booker produced a superb 52-point display as the Phoenix Suns routed the New Orleans Pelicans 123-109 on the road.
In Orlando, meanwhile, Joel Embiid’s rich vein of form for Philadelphia continued as the 76ers swatted aside the Magic 124-109.
