Their spirit was willing but the depleted Nuggets couldn’t quite hang with the defending NBA champions Celtics Tuesday night at Ball Arena. Playing without center Nikola Jokic, who was scratched before the game with a non-COVID illness,

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was sidelined for Denver’s clash with Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night because of an illness.

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was not available after he flew back to Los Angeles before the game to help his family deal with the wildfires. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was out