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NBA  FINAL           1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH     TOTAL
                     --- --- --- ---     -----
     DENVER           23  18  21  28       90
     BOSTON           28  34  28  25      115    FINAL


 HIGH SCORERS:  DEN - ANTONIO MCDYESS 20, CHAUNCEY BILLUPS 19, RAEF
                      LAFRENTZ 12
                BOS - ANTOINE WALKER 20, PAUL PIERCE 15, TONY BATTIE 15


 HIGH REBOUND:  DEN - RAEF LAFRENTZ 12, ANTONIO MCDYESS 8
                BOS - TONY BATTIE 12, ADRIAN GRIFFIN 9


 HIGH ASSISTS:  DEN - CHAUNCEY BILLUPS 4, TWO PLAYERS WITH 3
                BOS - PAUL PIERCE 8, TWO PLAYERS WITH 5


          ATT:  15,730
                                                                        

Extended Box


DENVER (90) AT BOSTON (115)


DENVER
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


MCDYESS           F    31    6-13     8-14     2   6   8    1   3   1   3   20
POSEY             F    25    2-4      5-6      1   3   4    1   1   3   1   10
LAFRENTZ          C    32    6-12     0-2      2  10  12    3   1   0   4   12
MERCER            G    24    1-6      0-2      0   1   1    1   2   1   2    2
VAN EXEL          G    26    3-8      4-4      0   3   3    2   1   0   7   10
MCCLOUD                16    1-3      2-2      0   1   1    3   1   0   0    4
BILLUPS                24    6-11     6-7      0   3   3    4   1   0   4   19
CLARK                  16    1-4      1-2      1   2   3    0   4   1   0    3
STITH                   2    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
ROGERS                 18    0-4      0-0      0   3   3    0   1   0   1    0
BOWEN                  17    2-4      4-5      1   1   2    1   1   2   1    8
ALEXANDER               9    1-2      0-0      0   0   0    1   0   1   1    2


TOTALS                240   29-71    30-44     7  33  40   17  16   9  24   90
                            (.408)   (.682) TEAM REBS: 9  TOTAL TO: 24(30 PTS)


BOSTON
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


GRIFFIN           F    22    2-3      0-0      0   9   9    2   2   0   1    4
WALKER            F    27    7-17     6-7      1   7   8    5   2   1   5   20
POTAPENKO         C    13    4-6      0-0      1   2   3    1   3   1   0    8
ANDERSON          G    24    4-10     0-0      0   0   0    4   4   3   0    9
PIERCE            G    27    5-10     4-4      0   3   3    8   3   5   2   15
BATTIE                 25    5-9      5-6      4   8  12    3   5   0   2   15
BARROS                 20    3-7      0-0      0   1   1    1   1   2   2    6
CHEANEY                24    5-7      0-0      1   3   4    2   3   3   0   10
MCCARTY                21    6-10     0-0      2   2   4    2   2   3   1   14
WILLIAMS               23    2-8      2-3      0   2   2    5   4   1   3    6
ELLISON                10    2-2      0-0      0   2   2    0   1   0   0    4
OVERTON                 4    2-2      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    4


TOTALS                240   47-91    17-20     9  39  48   33  30  19  16  115
                            (.516)   (.850) TEAM REBS: 6  TOTAL TO: 16(15 PTS)


   DENVER             23   18   21   28  -   90
   BOSTON             28   34   28   25  -  115


BLOCKED SHOTS: DENVER -  MCDYESS, ROGERS. BOSTON -  PIERCE 2, GRIFFIN,
CHEANEY, MCCARTY.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DENVER 2-10 (.200), POSEY 1-2, VAN EXEL 0-3, MCCLOUD
0-1, BILLUPS 1-3, BOWEN 0-1. BOSTON 4-13 (.308), GRIFFIN 0-1, WALKER 0-1,
ANDERSON 1-2, PIERCE 1-2, BARROS 0-3, MCCARTY 2-4.
TECHNICALS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BERNIE FRYER, DEREK RICHARDSON, MONTY MCCUTCHEN.
A - 15,730. T - 2:05.
                                                                        

Box Score


DENVER (90)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Mcdyess         31  6-13  8-14   2-8  1  3   20
Posey           25   2-4   5-6   1-4  1  1   10
Lafrentz        32  6-12   0-2  2-12  3  1   12
Mercer          24   1-6   0-2   0-1  1  2    2
Van Exel        26   3-8   4-4   0-3  2  1   10
Mccloud         16   1-3   2-2   0-1  3  1    4
Billups         24  6-11   6-7   0-3  4  1   19
Clark           16   1-4   1-2   1-3  0  4    3
Stith            2   0-0   0-0   0-0  0  0    0
Rogers          18   0-4   0-0   0-3  0  1    0
Bowen           17   2-4   4-5   1-2  1  1    8
Alexander        9   1-2   0-0   0-0  1  0    2
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 29-71 30-44  7-40 17 16   90
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.408, FT-.682. 3-Point Goals:
2-10, .200 (Posey 1-2, Van Exel 0-3, Mccloud 0-1,
Billups 1-3, Bowen 0-1). Team rebounds: 9.
Blocked shots: 2 (Mcdyess, Rogers). Turnovers: 24
(Van Exel 7, Billups 4, Lafrentz 4, Mcdyess 3,
Mercer 2, Alexander, Bowen, Posey, Rogers).
Steals: 9 (Posey 3, Bowen 2, Alexander, Clark,
Mcdyess, Mercer).


BOSTON (115)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Griffin         22   2-3   0-0   0-9  2  2    4
Walker          27  7-17   6-7   1-8  5  2   20
Potapenko       13   4-6   0-0   1-3  1  3    8
Anderson        24  4-10   0-0   0-0  4  4    9
Pierce          27  5-10   4-4   0-3  8  3   15
Battie          25   5-9   5-6  4-12  3  5   15
Barros          20   3-7   0-0   0-1  1  1    6
Cheaney         24   5-7   0-0   1-4  2  3   10
Mccarty         21  6-10   0-0   2-4  2  2   14
Williams        23   2-8   2-3   0-2  5  4    6
Ellison         10   2-2   0-0   0-2  0  1    4
Overton          4   2-2   0-0   0-0  0  0    4
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 47-91 17-20  9-48 33 30  115
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.516, FT-.850. 3-Point Goals:
4-13, .308 (Griffin 0-1, Walker 0-1, Anderson
1-2, Pierce 1-2, Barros 0-3, Mccarty 2-4). Team
rebounds: 6. Blocked shots: 5 (Pierce 2, Griffin,
Cheaney, Mccarty). Turnovers: 16 (Walker 5,
Williams 3, Barros 2, Battie 2, Pierce 2,
Griffin, Mccarty). Steals: 19 (Pierce 5, Anderson
3, Cheaney 3, Mccarty 3, Barros 2, Potapenko,
Walker, Williams).
____________________________________________
Denver             23   18   21   28  -   90
Boston             28   34   28   25  -  115
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: None. Flagrant fouls: None.  A:
15,730. T: 2:05. Officials: Bernie Fryer, Derek
Richardson, Monty Mccutchen.
                                                                        

Game Story


BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Denver Nuggets, seeking their first
three-game road winning streak in more than five years, could
not even get a lead as the Boston Celtics cruised to a 115-90
romp. 


Antoine Walker had 20 points and eight rebounds and Tony Battie
added 15 and 12 off the bench as the Celtics shot 52 percent
(47-of-91) and won for only the second time in six games.  Paul
Pierce contributed 15 points and eight assists for Boston, which
scored 30 points off 24 Denver turnovers. 


"All I know is Tony Battie never had a game like that for
Denver," said Nuggets coach Dan Issel. "It was a good
old-fashioned butt-kicking; they outplayed us in every aspect." 


"Coach Issel can say what he wants, but I remember nearly having
a triple-double against the Celtics when I was in Denver, so I
guess he's wrong in that regard," responded Battie, who played
his rookie season of 1997-98 under Bill Hanzlik in Denver. 


Pierce and Walker each played a team-high 27 minutes for Boston,
which has won nine of its last 10 home matchups with Denver.
Nine different players saw at least 20 minutes of action for the
Celtics.  Boston shot 85 percent (17-of-20) from the free throw
line. 


"This was a big win for us," Walker said. "Some other big teams
are starting to put it together but we need to as well.  This
was definitely our best game of the season." 


Antonio McDyess had 20 points and eight rebounds and former
Celtic Chauncey Billups took advantage of "garbage time,"
scoring 16 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. 


"The fourth quarter was meaningless, we were down 30," Billups
said.  "Against a team like Boston, if you don't play with
intensity it'll be a long night." 


The Nuggets were trying to win three straight on the road for
the first time since April 17-24, 1994, but shot 41 percent
(29-of-71) and were outrebounded, 48-40. 


Ron Mercer had a forgettable return to Boston, shooting 1-of-6
for two points in 24 minutes.  Mercer was second on the Celtics
last season with 17.0 points per game before going to Denver in
a six-player trade. 


"They came out hard, rebounding and forcing turnovers -- that
was the key to the game," Mercer said.  "I probably did come out
a little anxious, I was anxious to get started." 


Denver reeled off 10 straight points to close within, 15-14,
when Raef LaFrentz made a layup with 4:02 left in the opening
period.  Dana Barros and George McCloud traded baskets before
Walter McCarty hit a 3-pointer from the left sideline to give
Boston a 20-16 lead with 3:03 left.  Boston took a 28-23 lead
into the second after Kenny Anderson drove for a layup with two
seconds left. 


Eric Williams made a running jumper to start the second and
McCarty followed with a dunk to give Boston a 32-23 lead with
10:20 to play.  Pierce scored five points in a 15-1 burst that
gave the Celtics a 62-39 advantage with 28 seconds left in the
first half. 


Boston built the lead as big as 90-54 when Williams sank a pair
of free throws with 2:15 left in the third. 
                                                                        

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