Boston Celtics at Denver Nuggets
· NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024Celtics beat the Nuggets 107-103 in the NBA's preseason opener at Abu Dhabi
The Celtics and Nuggets will finish their two-game set in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Denver sat its starters in the second half and Boston sat four of its five starters after halftime, with Luke Kornet the exception. The teams combined to use 36 players — 18 apiece.
Payton Pritchard had a game-high 21 points for Boston, which was 20 of 61 from 3-point range. The Celtics' trio of Olympic gold medalists from this summer's Paris Games — Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White — combined to score 25 points and Jaylen Brown had eight for Boston.
Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 14 for Denver. Russell Westbrook had 12 in his first outing with the Nuggets, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 12 and Jamal Murray — who was in street clothes on the bench by the end of the game — had three points in 15 minutes.
The NBA signed a deal with tourism officials in Abu Dhabi in 2021 to send teams there for preseason trips; the series started with Milwaukee and Atlanta in 2022, and Dallas and Minnesota went last year.
USA Basketball has played in Abu Dhabi in each of the last two summers as well as part of its tuneups for the 2023 Basketball World Cup in the Philippines and the Paris Games.
Regular Season Series
BOS wins series 2-0
Recent Plays
| 4th 0.0 |  |
End of Game | 107 - 103 |
| 4th 0.0 | |
End of the 4th Quarter | 107 - 103 |
| 4th 1.1 |  |
Gabe McGlothan bad pass (Ron Harper Jr. steals) | 107 - 103 |
| 4th 2.1 |  |
JD Davison makes free throw 2 of 2 | 107 - 103 |
| 4th 2.1 | |
Ron Harper Jr. enters the game for Dmytro Skapintsev | 106 - 103 |
Statistics
 BOS |
 DEN |
|
|---|---|---|
| 37-98 | FG | 37-86 |
| 38 | Field Goal % | 43 |
| 20-61 | 3PT | 12-32 |
| 33 | Three Point % | 38 |
| 13-17 | FT | 17-26 |
| 76 | Free Throw % | 65 |
| 44 | Rebounds | 49 |
| 17 | Offensive Rebounds | 12 |
| 27 | Defensive Rebounds | 37 |
| 29 | Assists | 29 |
| 13 | Steals | 10 |
| 8 | Blocks | 2 |
| 17 | Turnovers | 23 |
| 1 | Team Turnovers | 1 |
| 18 | Total Turnovers | 24 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 1 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 1 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 24 | Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 27 |
| 12 | Fast Break Points | 11 |
| 30 | Points in Paint | 50 |
| 24 | Fouls | 24 |
| 7 | Largest Lead | 12 |
Denver Nuggets Injuries
| NAME, POS | STATUS | DATE |
|---|
Boston Celtics Injuries
| NAME, POS | STATUS | DATE |
|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Brown, G | Day-To-Day | Mar 27 |
| Nikola Vucevic, C | Out | Mar 7 |
Game Information
Location: Abu Dhabi,
Attendance: 12,002 · Capacity:
2025-26 Atlantic Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Boston |
49 | 24 | .671 | - | W2 |
 New York |
48 | 26 | .649 | 1.5 | L1 |
 Toronto |
41 | 32 | .562 | 8 | W1 |
 Philadelphia |
40 | 33 | .548 | 9 | W1 |
 Brooklyn |
17 | 56 | .233 | 32 | L9 |
2025-26 Northwest Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Oklahoma City |
58 | 16 | .784 | - | W1 |
 Denver |
47 | 28 | .627 | 11.5 | W5 |
 Minnesota |
45 | 28 | .616 | 12.5 | W2 |
 Portland |
37 | 37 | .500 | 21 | W2 |
 Utah |
21 | 53 | .284 | 37 | L4 |
NBA News
Jokic's triple-double, Murray and Johnson hit late 3s to rally Nuggets by Jazz, 135-129
— Nikola Jokic had 33 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists, Cam Johnson and Jamal Murray combined for four 3-pointers in the final 2:20, and the Denver Nuggets rallied from 13 down in the fourth quarter to beat the Utah Jazz 135-129 on Friday night.
Jarrett Allen lifts Cavs in return from injury, nets 18 in blowout over Heat
Center Jarrett Allen sparked Cleveland in his return from injury, scoring 18 points in 18 minutes as the Cavaliers rocked the Miami Heat 149-128.
Raptors beat the Pelicans 119-106 as Barnes has 23 points and 12 assists
— Scottie Barnes had 23 points and 12 assists, Jakob Poeltl had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat the New Orleans Pelicans 119-106 on Friday night.