Celtics and Nuggets keep pace… with the awakening of Warriors and Lakers?

Aside from Luka Doncic‘s historic display, the two teams leading the NBA in the conferences maintained their winning momentum. In the East, the Boston Celtics. In the West, the Denver Nuggets.

Boston, which was no match for the inconsistent Houston Rockets (126-102), continues to rely on the inspiration of what may be considered the best duo in the NBA: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The Nuggets in the West are on a roll. They have won five in a row, and against the Sacramento Kings (106-113) they did not need the most devastating Jokic (20+11+9) and his final rush in the last period tipped the scales. Porter Jr. with 30 points proved fundamental.

The awakening in California?

The West Coast also experienced an awakening, one that is ongoing, as the Golden State Warriors without Stephen Curry are, little by little, building streaks. While their 14-2 home record is the best in the NBA, it is vital for the champions that the non-stellar players at the beginning of the year gain confidence.

And then there are the Lakers. Their 51 points against in the third quarter on Christmas Day seemed like the nail in the coffin of the season, but from that weakness they have drawn strength. LeBron James is still in dominating mode, and scored 28 points, supported by Westbrook’s triple-double with 15+13+13. They are 14-20 in the standings, three points away from the Play-IN.