Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) battles for a rebound against a swarming Nuggets defense during the fourth quarter of Boston's loss to Denver Wednesday night at the Garden.
Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) battles for a rebound against a swarming Nuggets defense during the fourth quarter of Boston's loss to Denver Wednesday night at the Garden.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
The Celtics should be forgiven. They did lose to a team without its best player, a generational talent and three-time MVP, yet the Nuggets are well-coached, they were focused, and loaded with depth and playmakers.
Wednesday was a game the Celtics could never quite control, even with a 9-point, third-quarter lead as the Nuggets countered with three 3-pointers in 90 seconds and were the better team for the final 12 minutes.
This 114-110 loss will be damaging if the Celtics don’t take lessons from how the Nuggets defended, how relentless they played, and how they capitalized on every mistake.
The Nuggets made 20 3-pointers, and as the Celtics fully realize from being on the other side of the ledger, it’s difficult to beat a team that makes 20 3-pointers. If the Celtics just chalk it up as one of those hot-shooting nights, then this 2½-hour exercise was useless.
But this is an intelligent enough team to dissect the mistakes, the Nuggets’ defensive coverages, and how they were able to get so open for 3-pointers — and use that in their difficult upcoming back-to-back with the Raptors and Spurs.
And as impressive as the Celtics have been since consecutive losses to the Bucks and Pistons, the schedule becomes more challenging. There’s a four-game road trip that ends with the Heat, Hawks, and Pistons. The Celtics will have to counter what the rest of the league is preparing for them because they are no longer upstarts, they are contenders.
And that especially goes for Jaylen Brown, who scored 50 points just a few nights ago, and tallied 33 against the Nuggets but also committed seven turnovers and was a minus-14, looking uncomfortable for most of the night against defensive ace Peyton Watson.
Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) was driving to the hoop per usual but didn't get the calls, or trips to the free throw line, that he was expecting.
Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) was driving to the hoop per usual but didn't get the calls, or trips to the free throw line, that he was expecting.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Brown is a legitimate MVP candidate and going to be the best player on the floor on most nights. With Nikola Jokic out with a knee injury, this was the case again — and the Nuggets responded with smothering defense. There were times when Brown was able to get his shot off or attack the rim, and there were others when there were two defenders waiting for him at the rim and they physically made him feel their presence.
He attempted just three free throws, four below his season average. He realized that not only is he being defended differently, but also officiated differently. Adjustments on his side are necessary.
“They were physical and they got away with a lot,” he said. “The refs allowed them to get away with a lot. I would have loved to get to the free throw line a little bit more. I was physical, aggressive, I went up strong, I didn’t flop. I kind of let the officiating get to my head a little bit. I think their defense was good, but it wasn’t great. I think I should have been better in my spots.”
It’s time for Brown to go back into his lab and plan for those changing defenses, how teams are going to continue to throw long, rangy defenders like Watson at him in an attempt to force mistakes, questionable shots, and rushed turnovers.
“I’m always adjusting, so tonight I normally get to my spots and go up and be physical, go to the basket and draw a lot of contact,” he said. “I’m one of the more aggressive players in the league. I drive a lot. The whistle didn’t equate to that.
“Maybe they wanted to make an emphasis, I don’t know. But I’ll adjust for the next game and see how the game is being called, because if you don’t get some of those calls, it looks like bad shots and it kind of snowballs on defense.”
The Celtics were uncharacteristically erratic offensively in the fourth quarter. They went scoreless for 4:25 and yielded a game-changing 14-0 run. The Nuggets outworked the Celtics but also got production from deep into their bench, which has been Boston’s recipe for success.
The Nuggets have cultivated players such as Jalen Pickett and Zeke Nnaji for the past few years, so they can deliver in moments like this. The Celtics are doing the same with the likes of Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez. Those players, hardly foremost on any scouting report, have delivered with big moments in crunch time this season.
Nuggets big man Zeke Nnaji (22), battling Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (right) for a loose ball, was one of several unheralded players who helped the shorthanded visitors beat Boston Wednesday.
Nuggets big man Zeke Nnaji (22), battling Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (right) for a loose ball, was one of several unheralded players who helped the shorthanded visitors beat Boston Wednesday.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
It seems the Celtics were beaten by their own strategy. Nnaji made several key defensive plays in the paint, while Pickett knocked down three important shots in the fourth quarter. There are going to be games where the opponent hits more shots, makes some improbable plays, and gets contributions from unlikely sources. But the Celtics also played a team Wednesday that was seemingly more prepared and focused.
The Celtics are a tired team, having played every other day since Dec. 26, and they won’t get a two-day break until Jan. 13-14. The grind will continue, and the Celtics have to prepare for a plethora of defenses designed to contain Brown and Derrick White. They’ll have to use bench players to play beyond expectation. They’ll have to expect shorthanded opponents to play with desperation, as the Nuggets did. Denver was on the final game of a seven-game trip where it sustained multiple injuries. Instead of packing it in, the Nuggets played with championship mettle and went home with a smile.
The Celtics, meanwhile, should be annoyed about the result but encouraged by the opportunity to learn from this constructively. This loss shouldn’t be excused or dismissed.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.