A revitalized Celtics team travel to Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Wednesday (10:00 AM on NBA TV Philippines) in the hopes of continuing their winning ways.
After battling through a myriad of injuries, the guys from Beantown may have finally turned a corner after one of the most impressive comebacks this season.
The Denver Nuggets had a 14-point advantage with a little over a quarter remaining over the Celtics and were on their way to their ninth straight victory. The odds were not in favor of the Celtics. However, they made their own luck by buckling down and finding another gear. They unleashed a back-breaking 31-3 run to come out with a 105-87 victory, stunning the Nuggets.
With the win, Boston has now won three consecutive and five of its last six games. Meanwhile, its 28-26 record is currently seventh in the East, just a fraction below the guaranteed playoff spot occupied by the Charlotte Hornets (27-25).
"It's certainly going in the right direction,” All-Star Jayson Tatum said about the Celtics’ surge. "We still have some things to improve on, but hopefully we can just continue to build off this.”
Tatum was doubtful heading into the matchup with the Nuggets due to an illness but still managed to play and finish with 28 points and 10 rebounds.
The Celtics are certainly on the right track but they will be challenged by a Trail Blazers team who are equally looking for consistency and more wins.
Portland is sixth in the West with a 31-22 record but has lost four of its past six games. In their most recent match, the Trail Blazers succumbed to a 107-98 home loss against the Miami Heat. Dame Time didn’t materialize as Damian Lillard had a quiet 12-point outing on a 3-for-10 shooting clip.
"We've got a real test against Boston. We will be ready for that one. They pose different problems,” said Portland coach Terry Stotts.
As the playoffs draw near, the Celtics and the Trail Blazers are both hoping to improve their place in the standings.
