Preview: Celtics Face the Music vs League-Best Jazz
Brian Babineau | NBAE
The Celtics return home after a 134-107 clobbering of the Houston Rockets. They’ll take on the Utah Jazz, who currently have the best record in the NBA (28-10).
Utah is led by All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley, but gets major contributions from their role players, too. Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Jordan Clarkson are also having outstanding seasons. Clarkson is the front-runner for the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Mitchell leads the way for them in scoring with 24.8 points a game. The Jazz are third in the NBA in points per game, and lead the league in three-point attempts. Their barrage of threes this year has been a staple in all their games, and it’s working to perfection. The way they move the ball is beautiful and it creates the perfect three-point offense. Brad Stevens compared them to the 2013-14 Spurs earlier this season.
As for the Celtics, they’re 1-1 since the All-Star break. This past game against the Rockets was a great way of getting back on track. However, the Jazz are going to be a much taller task, so everyone will have to be on their A-game tonight. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both had solid outings in Houston, but it was Robert Williams who stole the show. The young center went 7/7 from the field and has all Boston fans enamored with his potential. With Marcus Smart back in the rotation, too, this is the closest the Celtics have been to full-strength all season. If they want to put up a fight against Utah, Kemba Walker, Tatum, Brown, and Smart are all going to have to be at their best.
As mentioned, the Jazz score the majority of their points from deep. The Celtics’ defense hasn’t been as elite as it has been in years past, so they are really going to have to focus on that tonight. If the Celtics don’t rotate quick enough it’s going to be a super long night for C’s fans. Slowing down their three-point attack will be a major key to victory tonight for Boston.
The Celtics’ injury report has no new news to report. Romeo Langford remains the only one listed as out, and that’s due to health and safety protocols. Utah’s injury report is also clear, with their only listed injury being rookie Udoka Azubuike. Azubuike hasn’t played much for the Jazz this year, and spent the majority of his season in the G-League bubble.
Make sure to tune in to our live pregame show, the Banner Town Build Up, 30 minutes before the game on YouTube and Twitter @GuyBostonSports. The Celtics will tip-off against the Jazz at 7:30 PM EST on TNT.
