Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets Predicted Starting Lineups and Depth Chart for Jan. 7 | 2024-25 NBA season

Tuesday's NBA slate provides fans with a blockbuster matchup between defending champions Boston Celtics and 2023 champions Denver Nuggets. The Celtics come into the game with the second best record in the Eastern Conference and a long list of talented stars. Denver, meanwhile, boasts one of the most potent offenses in the league, averaging 120.8 points per game.

Fans at Ball Arena in Denver will be treated to some high level basketball with plenty of All-Star calibre players on display. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been one of the most dangerous duos in the league.

The Nuggets will turn to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic to lead the way, with former MVP Russell Westbrook also set to play a big role.

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Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets Predicted Starting Lineups and Depth Chart

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis. Photo Credit: Imagn

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has stayed loyal to his core starting five. Only 11 players have received starts, with Jordan Walsh and JD Davidson earning just one start each. Derrick White leads the roster with 35 starts, followed by Jayson Tatum who has 33. Tatum leads the team in minutes, with 28.1 per game.

The return of Kristaps Porzingis after a lengthy injury has forced Mazzulla to shift things around. The Latvian center has started 13 games since returning from a foot injury and has been preferred over veteran Al Horford.

The Celtics have no injuries listed coming into Tuesday's matchup. So, expect Joe Mazzulla to stick with his trusted group of starters, which includes Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis.

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Boston Celtics depth chart

G	Jrue Holiday	Payton Pritchard	JD Davison
G	Derrick White	Jordan Walsh	Jaden Springer
F	Jaylen Brown	Sam Hauser	Xavier Tillman Sr.
F	Jayson Tatum	Drew Peterson
C	Kristaps Porzingis	Al Horford	Luke Kornet	Neemias Queta

Like his counterpart, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone has been consistent with his starting five over the early stage of the season.

Michael Porter Jr. (34), Christian Braun (33) and Nikola Jokic (31) have all started more than 30 games and Jamal Murray (28) is not far behind. Aaron Gordon, Russell Westbrook and Peyton Watson have all been utilized in the fifth spot in the lineup.

An injury setback for power forward Gordon has seen Malone turn to nine-time All-Star Westbrook over the last two weeks.

Along with Gordon, the Nuggets will also be without forwards Spencer Jones (thigh) and Vlatko Cancar (knee). Center DaRon Holmes II will likely miss the entire season after tearing his right achilles.

Malone will likely go with a starting group that includes Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Michael Porter Jr., Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokic.

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Denver Nuggets depth chart

G	Jamal Murray	Russell Westbrook	Jalen Pickett
G	Christian Braun	Julian Stawther	Trey Alexander
F	Michael Porter Jr.	Hunter Tyson	Vlato Cancar (O)	Spencer Jones (O)
F	Aron Gordon (O)	Peyton Watson	Zeke Nnaji	PJ Hall
C	Nikola Jokic	DeAndre Jordan	Dario Saric	DaRon Holmes II (O)

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Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets players to watch

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Photo Credit: Imagn

The Denver Nuggets are averaging 120.8 ppg, and a big chuck of that's coming from Serbia superstar Nikola Jokic.

The 6-foot-11 center is once again one of the early season favorites for the MVP crown after consistently putting up big numbers. Jokic ranks second in the NBA with 31.5 ppg, behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo. He also ranks second in the league with 9.7 apg, behind Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks.

Jokic has led the Nuggets in scoring over 10 straight games and racked up 41 and 46 points in his last two outings.

Jayson Tatum remains the central figure in Joe Mazzulla's offense, with some much of the offense going through the talented forward. Tatum leads the Boston Celtics roster in points (28.1) rebounds (9.4) and assists (5.5). The St. Louis native ranks fourth in the league in points and and fifth in 3-pointers per game (3.9).