On Thursday, the Boston Celtics will head to Colorado to take on the reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets. The Celtics and Nuggets are arguably the best teams in their respective conferences at the moment, and this clash could even be a dress rehearsal for the NBA Finals.
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This game also represents a terrific opportunity for Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum to improve his MVP odds. A stellar performance against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets on the road will provide a massive boost to his bid to win the coveted prize. However, while not many teams can claim to know the trick to clamp Tatum, the Nuggets are on that exclusive list.
The Celtics forward has averaged 21.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 13 games against the Nuggets. He’s scored 25 points or more only five times against the defending champions and over 30 just twice. His field goal percentage is at an inefficient 44.8% and he has converted only 27.8% of his three-point attempts against the Nuggets, as per StatMuse.
Tatum has enjoyed more success against Denver in their home arena than at the TD Garden. He averages 22.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in the Ball Arena while shooting 46.5% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc, as per StatMuse. While those numbers are slightly better than his overall stats against the Nuggets, they are not quite impressive. Nuggets head coach Mike Malone clearly has the blueprint to contain Tatum, making this trip to Denver a daunting challenge for the MVP candidate.
Jayson Tatum’s career record vs. Celtics
Despite his underwhelming numbers against the Nuggets, Jayson Tatum is 8-5 in his career against the Nikola Jokic and co. He won his first two career games against the defending champions, before losing three straight.
From the 2019-20 to the 2022-23 season, Tatum and the Celtics recorded six straight wins against the Nuggets. In those half-a-dozen games, the forward averaged 27.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. He shot 47% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. He also recorded back-to-back 30+ points performances, including his career-high against the Nuggets of 34 points, as per StatMuse.
However, Tatum and the Celtics have lost their last two games against the Nuggets. Denver ended its dismal losing streak against Boston on New Year’s Day in 2023 with a 123-111 win, despite Tatum scoring 25 points, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing six assists, and stealing the ball twice.
The two teams last met in January and the Nuggets narrowly edged out the Celtics, winning 102-100. Tatum had a horrendous shooting night, scoring 22 points on 24-shot attempts. He was a horrendous 1-of-8 from beyond the arc and his dismal performance was one of the main reasons for the defeat. It was one of Boston’s three losses at the TD Garden this season.
Tatum has a chance to redeem himself with a massive performance in Denver and breathe life into his MVP campaign. It remains to be seen if he rises to the occasion or folds under the pressure like he did earlier this year.
