Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics in Abu Dhabi,……read more

The Denver Nuggets prepare for another preseason showdown with the Boston Celtics in Abu Dhabi. Denver fell to Boston in the same setting just two days ago, but the teams will play one more time to grow the game globally before heading back to the U.S. This will provide Denver another opportunity to see their new starting shooting guard in action and evaluate how veterans Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric fit in with their bench. One thing is certain: Nikola Jokic will showcase his talent and offer confidence that, no matter what happens with the other lineup options, Denver still has a solid title shot because they possess the best player in the world.

When: 8 AM MDT
Where: The oil-built house. Abu Dhabi, UAE.
How to watch/listen: Outside of the Boston market, options are limited to finding alternative methods to watch.

The Three Things:

Key thing to note: Christian Braun vs. Julian Strawther is allegedly a competition.
Braun started in preseason game one as expected, but Michael Malone emphasized on media day that the starting spot is an open contest between Strawther and Braun. If Braun again logs minutes with the starters, it may imply the competition isn’t as tight as coach made it seem. If this is genuinely a battle for the starting role, seeing how Julian performs with the first unit against the same opponent Christian faced would provide useful insight. I don’t see that happening, though. From day one, I believed the starting job was CB’s to lose, and consecutive starts confirm that belief.

Key thing to watch: playing time.
It’ll be intriguing to see if Malone extends the starters’ playing time this game. None of Denver’s starters appeared in the second half, which is common in the first preseason outing, but coach might decide to give the starters some reps coming out of halftime to sustain high-level play. I suspect he will, with the starting group getting one second-half shift before giving way to the second unit to close the third, and deep reserves in the fourth. The Abu Dhabi setting throws a twist, though. Clearly, these games are more demanding than usual due to travel, so the best move might be to limit starters to one half again.

Key thing to bet: seek help.
Once more, I’ll remind you not to wager on preseason games. The spread is 3.5 points… how confident are you in Trey Alexander, P.J. Hall, Jahmir Young, and… checks notes… Spencer Jones covering that late in the fourth? If you seriously considered this, you’re a sicko… who might have a gambling issue.