2/10/12: Celtics vs. Nuggets Stat Pack

*On Thursday, the Celtics beat the Lakers by at least 20 points in a regular season game for the first time since 1995.

*On Thursday, the Celtics snapped a 3-game losing streak to the Lakers.
–They also snapped 4-game losing streak to the Lakers at home in the regular season.

*The Celtics and Nuggets are the 2 hottest teams in the league with the 2 longest current winning streaks.

*At the final buzzer, the Celtics will have played every team in the league this season.

*Boston and Denver are both very good home teams, but subpar on the road.

*After defeating the Cavaliers in Cleveland in a contest that began at 7:30 P.M. ET on Saturday, the Nuggets traveled to Boston for the 6:00 P.M. tipoff.
–Nuggets: 4-6 on 2^nd night of a back-to-back rest this season.

*Although Denver began the season 12-12, they have gone 20-6 since.

*One of the reasons for the Nuggets’ resurgence is that they are 1 of only 4 teams to have fewer than 5 different starting lineups this season. Their main starting lineup (Ty Lawson, Andre Iguodala, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried and Kosta Koufos) has been used in 47 of their 51 games this season.
–The Nuggets are 32-15 (.681) with that starting lineup.
–In comparison, the Celtics have used 13 starting lineups in 2012-13.

*The Celtics are 4-0 this season when using the starting lineup of Courtney Lee, Avery Bradley, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass and Kevin Garnett.
–They have used it their last 4 games.

*Pierce has recorded at least 5 rebounds in 12 consecutive games, his longest such streak since November/December 2005 (16 straight games).
–The only Celtic with a longer streak this season of at least 5 rebounds: Jared Sullinger (13 games).

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Nuggets
–With the Celtics victory over the Lakers on Thursday, the Nuggets now have the best winning percentage (.556: 5-4 record) of any team against the Celtics since 2007-08.

*Milestone Watch:

–Celtics History: All-Time Blocked Shots–
7. Reggie Lewis 417
T-8. Cedric Maxwell 378
T-8. Kevin Garnett 378            (Garnett needs 1 to move into sole possession of 8^th place)