All eyes will be on Abu Dhabi in October.
The NBA is always trying to share basketball with a global audience, and the league hopes to accomplish that this fall with the help of the Boston Celtics And Denver Nuggets. These two suitors will face each other in October for two pre-season matches in the United Arab Emirates as part of the third annual NBA Abu Dhabi Games.
Before the start of the 2023-24 season, the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves faced off in the Middle East. Next season, the league looks to capitalize on the star power boasted by the Celtics and Nuggets and perhaps eyes a potential 2024 NBA Finals rematch.
“The 2024 NBA Abu Dhabi Games will feature the 17-time NBA champion Boston Celtics and the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets playing two preseason games on Friday, October 4 and Sunday, October 6 in Abu Dhabi.” , says the official NBA press release. read. “The Celtics are currently a five-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatumthree-time NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown2021 NBA champion Jrue Holiday and 2018 NBA All-Star Kristaps Porziņģis… The Nuggets currently boast two-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player and six-time NBA All-Star Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murrayand Aaron Gordon.
Why the Celtics and Nuggets could meet in the 2024 NBA Finals
Is the NBA taking the plunge with this duo? According to Vegasno, as FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Celtics as the current favorites to win it all (+210) with the Nuggets right behind them (+420).
The Cs have been the best team throughout the 2023-24 regular season. Boston was the first team to reach 40 wins and has now amassed a league-best 48-13 overall record. The Celtics also have the best net rating in the NBA thanks to a starting lineup of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porziņģis, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.
And while it’s not as talented, Boston’s bench also has the best net rating. Veteran center Al Horford anchors the defense and guard Payton Pritchard and forward Sam Hauser provide quality 3-point shooting. Under head coach Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics have thrived despite the untimely firing of former coach Ime Udoka, the last man to lead Boston to the NBA Finals, less than two years ago.
Even though all of the regular season success has been great, everyone in Boston is hungry for a title. The Celtics haven’t won it all since 2008 and while they’ve had great teams in recent years, they’ve consistently run into obstacles in the playoffs. Boston has the talent to finally reach the promised land, it’s just a matter of whether or not the C’s can put their best foot forward when it matters most.
As for the Nuggets, the defending champions are more than capable of coming back strong this season. Denver retained most of its key pieces from last year and still has 2023 Finals MVP Nikola Jokić controlling the offense. Co-star Jamal Murray, who has suffered health issues of late, showed he can peak at the right time during the recent playoffs after averaging 21.4 points and 10 assists per game finally.
Denver’s supporting cast is also mostly intact. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon can be counted on for tough buckets and solid defense while Michael Porter Jr. can shoot from anywhere. The Nuggets aren’t currently in first place like the Celtics, but they have championship pedigree and are an impressive 42-20 in a loaded Western Conference. And since they’re just one game behind the first-place Timberwolves, don’t be surprised if they snatch the No. 1 seed just before the playoffs begin.
So, an NBA Finals showdown between the Celtics and Nuggets is certainly in play. Yet, like any contender, these two teams haven’t been perfect this season.
In fact, they both tripped Tuesday night. The Celtics were 22 points ahead of the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter, but then went ice cold and blew the lead in a 105-104 defeat. This ended their 11-game winning streak, but they weren’t alone in their late-game woes.
Denver fell in overtime to a short-handed Phoenix Suns team without Devin Booker. The Nuggets only scored five points in overtime while Suns star Kevin Durant had eight points of his own in those five extra minutes.
The Celtics and Nuggets will look to bounce back Thursday night when the two meet in Denver for a prime-time showdown. Jokić and Murray outplayed Tatum and Brown in their last game, with Denver winning 102-100 in late January.
To prove that they are ready for the playoffs, a win against the defending champions would go a long way for the C’s.
About the Author
Daniel Donabedian is a reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He also covered Villanova men’s basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the Northeast.
