Today's NBA regular season ushered in the peak showdown between the East and the West. The Celtics , which is also the league's number one in the East, challenged the Denver Nuggets , which was number one in the West, away from home.
In the end, and the Nuggets also completed their revenge at home 123-111, which tied the two teams' season duel score to 1-1. When they challenged Boston away from home on November 12 last year, they returned with a 112-131 defeat.
But today is different from the past. With the Nuggets' main player returning to the team and further optimizing the run-in, the Celtics have been in poor form recently. This time it is the Nuggets' turn to teach them how to behave and complete their revenge at home.
The key to the Nuggets' victory today is still their boss Nikola Jokic .
made 10 of 13 shots from the field, 2 of 2 three-pointers, and 8 of 8 free throws. He easily scored 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. His true shooting percentage reached an exaggerated 90.8%. This may be the easiest 30+ triple-double we have ever seen.
and teacher also tied with Michael Jordan and ranked ninth in history with his 16th career 30+ triple-double. The most is the superior Westbrook (49 times).
But in this game, Jokic set the tone for victory for the Nuggets from the start. The Celtics also knew that the key to defeating the Nuggets was not to limit Jokic's scoring, but to cut off his connection with his teammates. So after the start, Jokic resolutely defended himself and prevented him from driving his teammates.
But the reality is that whether it is Horford who once stifled Antetokounmpo, or White, who is second only to Smart in the Green Army's outside defense, Jokic took them all in and beat them one by one. He scored 14 points in the first quarter to defeat the Celtics, and the Nuggets also led 37-28. After
, the Celtics had to change their strategy and attack him more often, but such flanking allowed the other Nuggets to loosen their grip, and Teacher Yue was always able to The ball was released in time. Even though the Nuggets did not have Jamal Murray today, Gordon, Porter, and Pope scored a total of 58 points today. The Green Army's defense was on fire everywhere and fell behind 54-62 at halftime.
The Celtics went all out in the third quarter, Tatum continued to cause damage with 11 points in a single quarter, but Teacher Youyue always ran the Nuggets' offense in an orderly manner. In this quarter, he had 8 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists. His various passes from east to west and from far and near allowed the league's top defense to leak from all directions. The Nuggets entered the final quarter with a 13-point advantage (98-85).
The Nuggets withstood the Celtics' tenacious counterattack in the fourth quarter, especially the "Sixth Man" Hyland, who scored 9 points in a single quarter. In the end, the Nuggets defeated the league's No. 1 player at home 123-111, completing their revenge while also defending their No. 1 position in the Western Conference.
Teacher Yue, as the ball-handling core of the team, can always use the most efficient finishing and the most exquisite delivery to maximize the growth of his teammates, making the Nuggets' combat power now stand out among the others.
Now he averages 25.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game.
also ranks first in plus-minus (+8.5), first in double-doubles (26 times), and first in triple-doubles (9 times).
continues to "kill the entire league" in terms of high-end data.
ranks first in offensive efficiency (122.9), second in PER value (first is Doncic),
ranks first in 48-minute victory contribution (0.302), and
ranks first in real efficiency value at the same position (12.1).
This season, both he and Doncic have reached the peak of their personal performance, but the Nuggets with teacher Yue are now No. 1 in the Western Conference.
So three consecutive MVPs are really not just a joke.
