NBA Power Rankings: Here comes the trade deadline

The Celtics managed to hold off the Nuggets on Monday, with Jaylen Brown knocking down a clutch 3-pointer from the corner to help them to a 111-110 win on the road in Denver. That would be the last game they’d have Irving for this week, with their All-Star guard sitting out a few games with a quadriceps injury. That meant that Terry Rozier was the next man up, and he responsed with a triple-double in a 30 point win against the Knicks and 31 points against the Hawks in a 119-110 victory.

“Both (starts had) just the same feeling,” Rozier said. “Just wanting to come out aggressive, do what I can on the offensive and defensive end. My teammates made it so easy for me because they play so hard. We just play hard collectively as a group.” Rozier fell back to earth against the Blazers, going 5 for 18 from the field for 11 points, but Al Horford was able to knock down the game-winning bucket at the buzzer to send the Celtics home with their fourth win in a row.