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.

The Celtics finished 3-1 on their tough road trip to open 2025, but they weren't satisfied with the end result.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Denver Nuggets 118-106 on the road thanks to a strong fourth quarter from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

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.

The Boston Celtics head to the Ball Arena to face the Denver Nuggets in a non-conference matchup. The Celtics are 26-10, which puts them in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Nuggets are 20-14, which puts them in fourth place in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets were third in the NBA in scoring entering Monday's play, one rung ahead of the Celtics, with an offense not surprisingly built around what star Nikola Jokić does best.