NBA: Celtics edge Nuggets for seventh straight victory

FILE – Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics looks on during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at TD Garden on November 19, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images/AFP

Jayson Tatum scored 24 points and Marcus Smart added 22 as the Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to seven games with a 108-102 victory over the visiting Denver Nuggets on Friday.

Robert Williams III had 15 points and 16 rebounds for Boston, which trailed 88-86 with 8:26 left before closing the game by outscoring the Nuggets 22-14.

Celtics guard Derrick White contributed 15 points and six rebounds off the bench in his first game since being acquired from the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

.@Smart_MS3 was getting it done on all ends of the court as tonight’s @gatorade player of the game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2LRzAmn6yW

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 12, 2022

Nikola Jokic paced Denver with 23 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. Aaron Gordon scored 17 points, Facundo Campazzo had 14, Will Barton added 13 and Bones Hyland had 10.

Jokic has recorded a triple-double in eight of his past 14 games for Denver, which has lost four of its last six.

White’s layup put Boston ahead 100-97 with 1:59 left, and the Celtics hit four straight foul shots to extend the lead to seven with 40 seconds remaining.

Derrick White making an impact in his first action as a member of the @celtics!

Live Now on NBA TV pic.twitter.com/DR3FIugxHa

— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2022

After the Nuggets pulled within 104-99 on Jokic’s basket with 31 seconds left, Boston secured its fourth straight home victory at the foul line.

Denver took an early 11-point lead with 4:54 left in the first quarter before Boston closed on a 15-6 run to cut the deficit to 32-30.

Gordon and Campazzo scored a combined 22 points in the first half for Denver, which held a 60-51 advantage at the break.

Smart finished with five rebounds and seven assists for Boston, which moved ahead 69-65 after his basket with 5:09 left in the third quarter capped a 15-2 run.

Denver closed the period with seven straight points and carried a 79-76 lead into the final quarter.

Boston regained the lead at 92-90 with 7:19 left in the contest after Tatum’s technical free throw capped an 11-2 run.

Jokic tied the game at 95 by making one of his three 3-pointers with 5:28 remaining.

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