Chauncey Billups scored 26 points and Carmelo Anthony had 23 as the Denver Nuggets ended the C's trip out west with a 114-105 win on Sunday afternoon.
The Nuggets led by as many as 20 points late in the first quarter. After Boston rallied to tie it midway through the third, it appeared a bit out of energy and offered up little resistance down the stretch.
J.R. Smith buried four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter alone as Denver opened things up and avenged a 114-76 loss at the Pepsi Center the last time the two teams met.
Ray Allen led the Green with 25 points. Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo added 15 apiece for the Celts, who made just 13-of-24 free throws.
Nuggets 114, Celtics 105
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colo.
February 21, 2010
Headliner: Perhaps the best compliment a player can receive is when his team falls apart after he leaves the court. Such was the case with Billups, whose absence with foul trouble allowed Boston to rally and whose presence the rest of the time kept the Nuggets in control.
Billups first left the game with an 18-point lead. He returned and it was down to 11. When he picked up two fouls in four seconds not long before halftime, it opened it up for the Celtics to get within seven at the break.
The one-time Celtic added seven assists to his 26 points and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the line.
Unsung Hero: There are many nights when Chris Andersen's efforts might go a bit unnoticed as his mere presence can flummox opponents, as can his body art. In this one, it was plain to see how much of an impact he had.
Andersen, who first entered when Kenyon Martin picked up two quick fouls just minutes in, had nine points, six rebounds and four big blocked shots. It was his high-flying dunk with 30 seconds left in the first quarter that gave Denver a 36-17 lead.
Scrub: Whether because of fatigue, the thumb injury or the remnants of his ankle and foot woes, Paul Pierce does not have it right now.
In what could qualify as his sixth straight sub-par effort, Pierce had five points on 2-of-10 shooting. He is 23-of-66 (34.8 percent) from the floor since returning from his strained left foot injury.
Somehow, though, Pierce managed a season-high four blocked shots.
Turning Point: Boston was actually the better team for a good portion of this game, methodically trimming Denver's 20-point deficit to nothing after Marquis Daniels scored to make it 66-66 with 4:56 left in the third.
Just seconds later, Nene Hilario had a dunk on a nice feed from Anthony and the Nuggets had the lead for good. Anthony scored the game's next four points and the Green never got closer than nine points in the fourth.
Up Next: It'll be an interesting night at TD Garden on Tuesday, when the New York Knicks and old buddy Eddie House come to town. It should also be the Celtics debut for former Knick Nate Robinson.
The drama of the reunions should keep Boston from looking too far ahead. Looming Thursday is a visit from Cleveland.
