NBA: Peyton Watson shoots lights out to lead Nuggets past Celtics

Peyton Watson scored 30 points, and Jamal Murray added 22 points, eight rebounds, and a career-high 17 assists to lead the visiting Denver Nuggets to a 114-110 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

Watson made 6 of 7 3-point attempts, including a 3-pointer that put Denver ahead 106-93 with 2:24 remaining. Watson has scored at least 20 points in each of his last five games. The Nuggets outscored the Celtics 35-28 in the fourth quarter.

Boston trailed 113-110 after Payton Pritchard made three free throws with 6.5 seconds left, but the Celtics did not get another offensive possession.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic missed his fifth straight game with a knee injury. The Nuggets have a 3-2 record without him. Jokic leads Denver in scoring (29.6 points), rebounding (12.2), and assists (11.0).

The victory improved Denver’s road record to 15-7, the best in the league this season.

Boston received a game-high 33 points along with seven rebounds and four assists from Jaylen Brown, who also committed seven turnovers. Neemias Queta contributed six points and a career-high 20 rebounds for the Celtics, including 10 offensive boards.

The loss ended Boston’s four-game winning streak.

Boston led 35-31 after the first quarter and extended its lead to 41-34 early in the second, but Denver responded with a 10-0 run to take a 44-41 advantage. The score was tied 58-58 at halftime.

A 12-0 run put the Celtics in front 72-63 with 4:25 left in the third quarter. Denver went scoreless for a stretch of 6:33 before Murray hit a 3-pointer with 4:11 remaining in the period. A 13-2 spurt gave the Nuggets a 76-74 lead, but Boston held an 82-79 edge after three quarters.

Denver went on a 14-0 run, capped by two Zeke Nnaji free throws with four minutes left, to take a 101-90 lead and hold on for the win.

—Field Level Media/Reuters