The Boston Celtics used a balanced attack to beat the heralded Denver Nuggets, 112-108, while John Havlicek tied Hal Green's NBA record by playing in his 1222 regular season game. At Landover, Md., the Boston Bruins overpowered the hustling but hapless Washington Capitals, 4-1.

The Nuggets took the early lead, 45-36, with seven minutes left in the first half largely on the strength of the red-hot shooting of Dan Issel. The Denver center took advantage of the absence of Celtic defensive terror Dave Cowens to pour in 29 points.

Scott, who tallied 22 points, and backcourt running mate White, who added 21, led the Celtics back to a deadlock by intermission. Jim Ard's bank shot at the buzzer gave Boston a 53-52 halftime edge. The substitute center combined with Tom Boswell for 20 points to make up for the loss of Cowen's steady scoring from the middle.

The Celtics widened their bulge to seven points early in the second half but the visiting Denver squad drew close at 84-80 by the end of the third quarter.

Boston tried to put the game away in the final frame, and rolled to a 98-88 advantage with only seven minutes left to play. But Denver had not won ten of its first 11 contests in their first NBA season by giving up in the stretch. They hung tough, and high-flying David Thompson sparked a rally.

Thompson, who has proved as explosive as a guard as he was as a forward, poured in 21 points in the second half after coming up cold for only seven in the first 30 minutes. His deadly outside shooting pulled the Nuggets within two, 106-104, in the final minutes.

But John Havlicek must be tried of counting the tight games he's been in by now, and he never fails to do what has to be done. He swished two free throws with 1:05 left to ice the game for the Celts, and finished the night with 18 points.

Boston is now 8-5 for the season, and 4-1 since Cowens took his much-publicized leave of absence.

After struggling to beat the Capitals in Boston Thursday night, the Bruins dispatched Washington with relative ease on the Capitals' home ice.

It looked like another tight game--Thursday night's struggle ended 3-2--during the first period last night. Center Gerry Meehan gave Washington the lead in the initial five minutes when he took a pass from Bob Sirois on the left boards and beat Boston netminder Gerry Cheevers on the right side.

It took the Bruins only 42 seconds to draw even. Gary Doak fired a long blast from the right point, and steady veteran Jean Ratelle deflected the puck past Washington's Ron Low.

Bowton moved out on top early in the second period when Capital defenseman Pete Scamurra lost the puck to Bruin Peter McNab, who beat Low with a quick wrist shot. It was the 18th tally in 19 games for the sudden sensation.

The visitors put the game out of reach later in the frame when center Greg Sheppard and Wayne Cashman clicked for goals only 24 seconds apart. Both goals were assisted by scrappy Terry O'Reilly, who battled for the puck along the boards and then fed perfect passes to teammates in the slot.

In other sports news, All-Star third baseman Sal Bando became the fifth Oakland A's free agent to fly Charlie Finley's coop. Bando, a superior fielder who also averaged 88 runs batted in during his nine years with the Athletics, signed with the impotent Milwaukee Brewers, who tabbed him as their first choice in the free agent draft.