The Boston Celtics defeated the Denver Nuggets 107-103, winning the first game of the 2024 NBA preseason in Abu Dhabi. Payton Pritchard led the way for the Celtics with 21 points in 24 minutes off the bench. The Celtics trailed in the first half but put together a strong second half and closing stretch to secure the close win. Both teams played their stars in the first half, and aside from Luke Kornet, the starting lineups for both teams sat for the entire second half.
The Boston Celtics Starters
For their first preseason game, the Boston Celtics started with a lineup similar to the one that won the NBA Championship. Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum all started and played in the first half. The one exception was Luke Kornet. The Celtics’ veteran center, Al Horford did not play at all and was listed as a DNP coach’s decision. So, with Kristaps Porzingis still recovering from injuries sustained in the NBA Finals, Luke Kornet was the starting center.
Kornet played 21 minutes with 6 points on 3/5 shooting and 11 rebounds. As for the other starters, Jayson Tatum had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 4/11 shooting, going 3/7 from three. Jaylen Brown contributed 8 points, shooting 3/9. Derrick White scored 9 points, also shooting 3/9. And, finally, Jrue Holiday shot 2/7, netting 4 points. While there were no huge, eye-popping performances from the Celtics’ starters, there were still positive moments.
Firstly, the chemistry and ball movement from the starting lineup still appear intact. The Boston Celtics are still swinging the ball around the perimeter or running two-man actions with Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday. One highlight play saw Jaylen Brown get an emphatic block and follow it up with a similarly emphatic dunk on the next possession. Except for Luke Kornet, the starting lineup sat in the second half, after Boston went into halftime trailing by 7, 63-56. But it is only preseason, and the Boston Celtics starters have plenty of time to get back into championship form.
Standout Performances
The biggest standout performance from the Celtics preseason debut was Payton Pritchard. Pritchard led the team with 21 points, exclusively from the three-point line, where he shot a hot 6/12. Pritchard has always been a microwave scorer who can heat up from beyond the arc and sometimes beyond half-court. In the preseason, this is a time when players like Pritchard can get more extensive minutes and playing time, and he took full advantage of that against the Nuggets.
Another Celtic with an impressive game was Jordan Walsh. Walsh played the most minutes out of anyone with 25 and contributed with 9 points off 3/7 shooting and 2/6 from three. Walsh spent most of his rookie season last year with the Boston Celtics G-League affiliate in Maine, but his minutes in this game showed promise. Drew Peterson also spent most of last season in Maine, and scored 10 points, shooting 4/9 in 12 minutes. He especially played well down the stretch, getting multiple key buckets in the fourth quarter.
However, some players did not see much playing time. Al Horford, as previously mentioned, was a DNP. Recent Celtics signing Lonnie Walker IV played 4 minutes with 0 points and Boston’s first-round rookie, Baylor Scheierman had 0 points in 8 minutes. But it is still preseason, and lineups will likely be changed and retooled, so these players could get more minutes down the line.
Final Thoughts
The Boston Celtics were victorious in their first game since winning the NBA Championship, defeating the Denver Nuggets 107-103. The Celtics had some hot performances, especially from Payton Pritchard, who led the team in scoring. The Boston Celtics are not finished yet, however, as they play Denver again in Abu Dhabi on October 6th.
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