The Denver Nuggets delivered a statement win Wednesday night, defeating the Boston Celtics 103-84 behind a dominant performance from Nikola Jokic, who finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds despite an inefficient shooting night.

Jokic shot 11-of-28 from the field and 4-of-13 from three-point range but made his biggest impact late in the third quarter. He sparked an 11-0 run that gave Denver a double-digit cushion heading into the fourth, shifting the momentum for good.

The Nuggets were without key guard Jamal Murray for most of the game after he exited early due to illness. Still, Denver found support from Tim Hardaway Jr., who added 14 points, as the team rebounded from a shaky 1-2 stretch following the All-Star break.

For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown returned to the lineup after missing a game with a knee contusion and led Boston with 23 points. Colorado native Derrick White provided a spark with 20 points, including 18 in the second quarter. However, Boston struggled to maintain its energy late, and coach Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters after Denver stretched the lead to 17 midway through the fourth.

The win helps the Nuggets keep pace in the tight Western Conference race, sitting just percentage points behind the Houston Rockets for third place.

Before tipoff, Denver honored former coach Doug Moe with a tribute video. Moe, who passed away Feb. 17 at 87, won 432 games in 10 seasons with the franchise and led the team to the Western Conference finals in 1985.

With Jokic leading the way, Denver showed resilience and depth in a convincing victory over one of the league’s top teams.

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