Party like it's 2013: Nuggets top Celtics to clinch franchise's first playoff berth of Michael Malone era

After missing the postseason by one game in each of the last two seasons, the Denver Nuggets are playoff bound.

Denver clinched a postseason berth Monday night in Boston, topping the Celtics 114-105. The Nuggets moved to 47-22 on the season, eclipsing their 46-win mark from last year.

The Nuggets trailed by five points late in the third quarter, but Denver captured the momentum to end the period. First, Torrey Craig sunk a three from the corner right in front of the Celtics’ bench. Then, after an errant Boston inbounds pass with 1.1 seconds remaining, Denver got the ball back under the Celtics’ basket, and Paul Millsap found Craig, who cut right behind Jaylen Brown for a two-handed slam as time expired.

It was the beginning of a 16-2 run that spanned the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarters. Back-to-back threes from Nikola Jokic midway through the fourth expanded Denver’s lead to nine points with under six minutes remaining. The Nuggets fended off a brief Celtics run to stretch their lead back to double digits a few minutes later. Boston cut Denver’s lead to five points with just over a minute remaining, but a Millsap three from the top of the key, plus a foul for a four-point play put the game on ice.

Jokic was fantastic Monday, finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals. Craig was in rhythm too, coming off the bench to chip in 11 points and four rebounds in 19 minutes. Will Barton chipped in 20 points. Gary Harris and Monte Morris added 16 and 11 points, respectively.

The Nuggets won despite turning the ball over 19 times. Barton had five giveaways. Murray and Jokic finished with three apiece.

In his return to Boston, Isaiah Thomas played seven first-half minutes. The Celtics played a tribute video for Thomas in the first quarter as the point guard received a standing ovation from the TD Garden crowd. Thomas didn’t play in the second half and finished with zero points on 0-2 shooting but did hand out two assists.

The Nuggets have bigger goals this season than a playoff appearance. But you can bet they’ll celebrate this one after last season’s disappointment.

“Always celebrate your accomplishments, appreciate it. Whatever we do we’re going to appreciate it,” said Millsap. “We’re going to appreciate it and we’re going to use that to take another step to where we want to be. That’s not going to be it for us. We want to continue to get better, continue to get wins but you do have to celebrate your accomplishments.”