Michael Malone’s March march begins now.

On Sunday morning (Denver time), the two winningest NBA teams from March 1, 2020, to March 1, 2025, the two current No. 2 teams in the Eastern and Western Conference and the two most recent league championship teams confront each other in Boston.

Celtics vs. Nuggets: Three-Point Shots Seen Round The Basketball World (on ABC).

Last March 7 the Nuggets beat the Celtics at TD Garden, and Jan. 7 the Celtics beat the Nuggets (without Nikola Jokic) at Ball Arena.

Plausibly the pair will meet again in the NBA Finals in three months.

They could have dueled the last two title series, but the Heat upset the Celtics in 2023, and the Nuggets were beset by the Timberwolves last year. Jayson Tatum said in the offseason that the Nuggets would have presented their most difficult challenge in the Finals.

The Celtics possess 17 more NBA championships than the Nuggets. But each won a game in the 1949-50 season when they were two of the league’s worst teams.

But, as Malone says, the Nuggets “continue to be in the moment.” They must be – with the third-most difficult schedule during the stretch of 15 games in March and the final seven in April. Eighteen are against playoff-contending opponents, although the Nuggets play 12 of the remaining games at home. They won’t have any guppies on the road with two games in three nights at Oklahoma City, two in San Francisco against Golden State, two in Houston and one in Los Angeles vs. the Lakers.

Malone already is the most successful coach in Nuggets’ history with 507 regular-season and playoff victories and the franchise’s one title in his 10 seasons. He has surpassed the Tarheels trio of Larry Brown, Doug Moe and George Karl in victories.

And Malone most likely set the Nuggets’ record for earliest technical foul ever 47 seconds into the game with the Pistons. After the tipoff Jokic was treated purposely by the Detroit players like Whack-A-Mole. They were copying the defense the Lakers utilized last Saturday – besieging, banging and bullying The Joker. The enraged coach begged for an immediate technical to get the officials attention. He did. After all, superstar players earn their respect. Jokic should be receiving his fifth consecutive regular-season MVP award alongside his post season MVP. He moved past the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the just-released NBA ratings, but the upcoming duel between the two in Oklahoma City may determine the difference.

Then, again, the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum is rated third. So Sunday’s sole spotlight with a national TV audience again will sway NBA MVP voters.

Yet, the spectacular Serbian only cares about winning. Malone’s “T’’ and the Main Man’s reaction punched the Pistons and coach J. B. Bickerstaff, a graduate of Denver East High School, and ended Detroit’s eight-game winning streak. The bigs were neutralized. Center Jalen Duren was called for four fouls and power forward Isaiah Stewart five, plus a technical. Jokic made 11 of 12 free throws and finished with – surprise – his 28th triple double in 54 games (23, 17 and 16), and the Nuggets won the second of two games on this trip. The Celtics have lost their last two, and Jaylen Brown is questionable.

For the season, Jokic is averaging the rare gold triad – 29.1 points (third overall), 12.7 rebounds (third) and 10.5 assists (second) – in his best season as he turns 30.

It took a six-year TV blackout of Jokic’s career and Nuggets and the Avalanche championships before Kronke & Son finally figured out how to do a deal.

Meanwhile, Malone maneuvered the Nuggets from Jan. 31-Feb. 28 to an 11-2 record with six victories on the road. Despite missed games for Aaron Gordon, Russell Westbrook, Michael Porter Jr. and Peyton Watson, and the front office’s and ownership’s refusal to make an acquisition, the coach created a mosaic from the roster.

Hello, Zeke Nnaji. Nice to meet you.

In their past 10 games Jamal Murray and Christian Braun have been a remarkable starting backcourt duo, averaging 43.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 9.6 assists. MPJ comes and goes with the night (12, then 28) and Julian Strawther is a project under construction. Westbrook is His Own Self, and Gordon sprained his ankle for his latest health issue.

And The Joker’s wild.

The Nuggets need to come into March in like a lion.