The Denver Nuggets will be up against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. The clash of the Titans will be exciting to watch as both the teams are on top of their game currently. While the Nuggets are third in the Western Conference with a 42-20 record, the Celtics are at the top of the table in the East with a 48-13 record. The game will be full of players’ battles, however, all the eyes will be on the Nuggets’ main man Nikola Jokic.
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The Nuggets heavily depend on Jokic to lead the team forward. In this matchup, the expectations would be set on him once again. According to Statmuse, Jokic averages 22.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 56.1% from the field in 16 games against the Celtics. The 29-year-old also averages 1.5 steals per game and has a 37.3% three-point shooting percentage.
Jokic’s biggest individual scoring performance against the Celtics was on February 16, 2021, when he dropped 43 points. He also has three other games against the Celtics where he scored 30 or more points, 2 were this season.
What a night by Nikola Jokic against the Celtics:
43 PTS
6 REBS
5 AST
70% FG
60% 3PT
100% FT pic.twitter.com/znGwjhrM2s— Beyond The Bleachers (@BeyondBleachers) February 17, 2021
Jokic’s other memorable performances against the Celtics were on January 1, 2023, when he dished 12 assists and 12 rebounds. On February 11, 2022, and on November 22, 2019, Jokic had two of his most successful games in terms of rebounds. On both occasions the Serbian national secured 16 rebounds for his team. Jokic also has 10 double-doubles and 4 triple-doubles against the Boston franchise.
Nikola Jokic’s wins against the Boston Celtics
Jokic has a 7-9 record against the Celtics including one win this season on January 19th, where he scored 34 points with 12 rebounds and 9 assists. While the rivalry is slowly building up into something special, Jokic is yet to meet the Celtics in the NBA Finals. The true test of his game will be when the two teams meet, and the stakes are at the highest. This season could bring the much-awaited NBA Finals card to reality as the two teams are among the strongest contenders in their respective conferences.
The NBA is trying to expand their audience base and explore the international market. In search of that, they’re also pushing the Celtics-Nuggets rivalry. It was recently announced that the Celtics and the Nuggets will play two pre-season games in October in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
