Game Review: The Celtics outlast the Nuggets in their preseason opener

Payton Pritchard scored a game-high 21 points to help Boston to a 107-103 victory over Denver.

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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The NBA returned to the Persian Gulf for the third straight season on Friday, and the preparation plan for the 2023-24 season began with a 107-103 victory for the Boston Celtics over the Denver Nuggets in a duel of the two youngest championship clubs.

The Celtics and Nuggets will finish their two-game set in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Denver sat out its starters in the second half and Boston sat out four of its five starters after halftime, with the exception of Luke Kornet. The teams fielded a combined 36 players – 18 apiece.

Payton Pritchard scored a game-high 21 points for Boston, going 20-for-61 from 3-point range. The Celtics’ trio of Olympic gold medalists from this summer’s Paris Games — Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White — combined for 25 points and Jaylen Brown had eight for Boston.

Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 14 points for Denver. Russell Westbrook had 12 points in his first game with the Nuggets, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 12 points and Jamal Murray – who was on the bench in street clothes at the end of the game – had three points in 15 minutes.

The NBA signed a deal with tourism authorities in Abu Dhabi in 2021 to send teams there for preseason trips; The series began in 2022 with Milwaukee and Atlanta, followed last year by Dallas and Minnesota.

USA Basketball has played in Abu Dhabi each of the past two summers, as well as as part of its preparations for the 2023 Basketball World Cup in the Philippines and the Paris Games.