After squandering a 15-point first half lead, the Celtics and Nuggets played a nip and tuck game for most of the second half until Boston took command midway through the fourth quarter. With Jamal Murray on the bench, the Celtics erupted with a 15-0 run, breaking the game open in the final five minutes of the win.

Playing without center Nikola Jokic, who was scratched before the game with a non-COVID illness, t Nuggets pushed the Boston Celtics to the limit, but came up short, losing 118-106.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will not play against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night due to a non-COVID illness. It is his fourth missed game this season, after he was away for three games in November for the birth of his son.

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was sidelined for Denver’s clash with Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night because of an illness.

Nikola Jokic will miss his fourth game of this season due to illness. He did not warm up before the Nuggets hosted the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

DENVER — Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was sidelined for Denver’s clash with Jayson Tatum and the Celtics on Tuesday night because of an illness. The Nuggets center went from probable to questionable to out over the course of the day. He was seen leaving the arena a little more than an hour before tipoff.

The Celtics withstood a valiant upset bid by the Nuggets without Nikola Jokic to close out their road trip with a 118-106 win in Denver.