The Boston Celtics are just an average NBA team at the moment.
Sure, not having starters Al Horford (concussion) and Jae Crowder (ankle) in the lineup because of injuries hurts, but there’s still no excuse to lose to an inferior Denver Nuggets team by 16 points.
That’s what happened Sunday night, as Boston fell to Denver 123-107 at TD Garden. It was the Celtics’ worst loss of the season, dropping their record to 3-3.
Here’s a recap of Celtics-Nuggets.
STARTING FIVE
PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Amir Johnson
C: Tyler Zeller
UGLY START
The Nuggets shot 70.8 percent (17 for 25) in the first quarter on their way to 42 points in the frame. Denver guard Emmanuel Mudiay had the quarter of his life with 24 points — the Celtics scored 23 as a team — on 9 for 10 shooting. Mudiay finished with 30 points, tying a career high.
Put simply, it was an atrocious quarter by the Celtics, who entered Sunday allowing the third-most points per game in the Eastern Conference.
STRUGGLES FROM DEEP
The Celtics shot just 32 percent (8 for 25) on 3-point attempts, which made it difficult to mount a realistic comeback against a Nuggets team shooting lights-out. Celtics guard Avery Bradley shot 1 for 5 from beyond the arc despite entering the game connecting on 40 percent of his 3-point field goals.
The Nuggets were 11 for 23 from 3-point land.
ISAIAH NEEDS HELP
Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas scored a team-high 30 points. The next closest Boston scorer was Bradley with just 14 points. The only other Celtic in double figures was Marcus Smart with 13 points.
The C’s need much better production from their secondary scorers if they’re going to survive without Horford and Crowder. Bradley has provided a spark offensively most of the season, but he struggled against the Nuggets.
It’s difficult to beat any team when your starters score 58 points.
RARE WIN
The Nuggets had lost 16 of their last 18 games in Boston entering Sunday.
PLAY OF THE GAME
You know it’s a tough game when Danilo Gallinari is throwing down two-handed jams.
UP NEXT
The Celtics travel to Washington to take on the Wizards on Wednesday night.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
