The Celtics look to finish their street journey on a optimistic word as they tackle the Utah Jazz. That is the 2nd and remaining assembly between these two groups this season. The Celtics received 126-97 on January 5 in Boston. They cut up the collection 1-1 final season with every workforce profitable on their dwelling court docket. The Celtics are 61-46 all time total in opposition to the Jazz and 22-31 in video games performed in Utah.
The Celtics are enjoying on the second night time of again to again video games. They’re 8-2 on the second night time of again to again video games up to now. They’re 2-1 when the each of the video games within the again to again set are on the street. The Jazz have had 2 days off, final enjoying on Saturday.
The Celtics stay 1st within the East, 8.5 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 9 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 12.5 video games forward of 4th place New York, 13 video games forward of fifth place Orlando and 13.5 video games forward of sixth place Philadelphia. They’re 20-11 on the street and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 16-7 in opposition to Western Convention groups. They’re coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Jazz are twelfth within the West, 9.5 video games behind sixth place Phoenix, 8.5 video games behind seventh place Sacramento, 6 video games behind tenth place Golden State and 1 recreation behind eleventh place Houston. They’re 6.5 video games forward of thirteenth place Memphis. They’re 19-12 at dwelling and 2-8 of their final 10 video games. They’re 14-13 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups they usually have misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying within the remaining recreation of a 5 recreation street journey. They misplaced the primary two video games in opposition to Cleveland and Denver after which received in Phoenix and received in Portland. They’ll go dwelling for a recreation in opposition to Phoenix earlier than going through Washington on the street. They then have dwelling video games in opposition to Detroit and Milwaukee earlier than a 6 recreation street journey by Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta (twice), New Orleans and Charlotte.
The Jazz Have been off for two days after dropping a recreation to Denver on Saturday. They’re enjoying within the first of a 4 recreation dwelling stand. They’ll host Atlanta and Minnesota twice earlier than a 3 recreation street journey by Oklahoma Metropolis, Dallas, and Houston. They then return dwelling for a 3 recreation dwelling stand in opposition to Dallas, San Antonio and Houston.
Al Horford is listed as out for this recreation as a consequence of a toe damage. Jaylen Brown will miss this recreation as a consequence of a sacroiliac straing. Kristaps Porzingis stays out with the hamstring damage and can miss his third straight recreation. Svi Mykhailiuk is questionable as a consequence of private causes and can miss his second straight recreation. I’m going to guess that Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet will get the beginning.
For the Path Blazers, Taylor Hendricks is out with a ligament sprain in his left large toe. Lauri Markkanen has already been dominated out for this recreation. Markkanen will miss his fourth consecutive recreation as he tries to heal from a proper quad contusion.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Sam HauserPF: Jayson TatumC: Luke Kornet
Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettPayton PritchardJordan Walsh Xavier TillmanJaden Springer
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonNeemias Queta
Accidents/OutAl Horford (relaxation) outSvi Mykhailiuk (private) questionableKristaps Porzingis (hamstring) outJaylen Brown (sacroiliac) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Jazz Starters
Grid View
PG: Keyonte GeorgeSG: Collin SextonSF: Brice SensabaughPF: John CollinsC: Walker Kessler
Jazz ReservesJordan ClarksonKris DunnTalen Horton-TuckerTaevion KinseyKira Lewis, JrKenneth Lofton, JrLuka SamanicOmer Yurtseven
Two Method Gamers Johnny JuzangMicah Potter Jason Preston
Accidents/Out Taylor Hendricks (toe) outLauri Markkanen (quad) out
Head Coach Will Hardy
Key Matchups
Grid View
Derrick White
Photograph by Chris Coduto/Getty Photos
Collin Sexton
Photograph by Alex Goodlett/Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Collin SextonSexton is averaging 18.2 factors, 2.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per recreation. He’s taking pictures 48.3% from the sphere and 40.4% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics this season, he completed with 13 factors, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and three steals. He shot 41.7% from the sphere however didn’t hit a 3.
Grid View
Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Chris Coduto/Getty Photos
John Collins
Photograph by Wealthy Storry/Getty Photos
Jayson Tatum vs John Collins Collins is averaging 14.6 factors, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He’s taking pictures 52.8% from the sphere and 33.8% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics this season he had 12 factors, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. He shot 62.5% from the sphere however didn’t hit a 3.
Honorable MentionLuke Kornet vs Walker Kessler Kessler is averaging 8.4 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists and a couple of.7 blocks. He’s taking pictures 64.2% from the sphere and 21.1% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics this season he completed with 4 factors and seven rebounds. He shot 66.7% and didn’t make a 3 pointer. He’s a menace to dam pictures and so the Celtics want to concentrate on him after they go to the ring.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is the important thing to profitable every recreation. The Celtics are 2nd within the league with a defensive score of 110.3 whereas the Jazz are twenty seventh with a defensive score of 118.9. The Celtics are 4th in factors per recreation with 120.7 whereas the Jazz are ninth with 117.7 factors per recreation. The Jazz have some excellent 3 level shooters on the workforce and they’re ninth with 37.1 three pointers tried per recreation so the Celtics must play good perimeter protection. However additionally they should defend within the paint because the Jazz are fifth with 54.1 factors within the paint per recreation. The Celtics should proceed to make protection a precedence to win this recreation.
Rebound – A lot of rebounding is effort and when the Celtics put out that effort on the boards, we see it within the different areas of their recreation. The Celtics are averaging 47.2 rebounds per recreation (1st) whereas the Jazz are averaging 46.2 rebounds per recreation, which is third within the league. The Jazz are 1st with 16.8 second likelihood factors per recreation and the Celtics will need to have each participant battle for rebounds to restrict these 2nd likelihood factors. If the Celtics need to win this recreation they should crash the boards and beat the Jazz to rebounds.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to return out and be aggressive proper from the opening tip. They must be aggressive on protection, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for free balls and simply enjoying tougher basically. They should get off to a powerful begin and play exhausting proper up till the ultimate buzzer. They will’t let the Jazz outwork them for any time frame as a result of it doesn’t matter how good a workforce is, if they permit opponents to play tougher than them, they will lose to any workforce.
Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics want to remain centered for 48 minutes. They must deal with taking good pictures and making them. Additionally they must preserve that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse. They will’t afford to get complacent as a result of the Jazz have a dropping document and have received simply 2 of their final 10 video games. The ultimate recreation of a street journey is at all times the hardest. The Celtics want to remain centered on profitable regardless of the circumstances.
X-FactorsBack to Again On the Highway – The Celtics are enjoying within the remaining recreation of a 5 recreation roadtrip. They’ve to remain centered on enjoying Celtics basketball and block out all of the distractions that come from enjoying on the street like journey, enjoying in a special time zone, staying in motels and a hostile crowd. They’re additionally enjoying in again to again video games and within the third recreation in 4 nights. Fatigue could also be an element down the stretch on this recreation.
Teaching – Joe Mazzulla and Will Hardy are each former Celtics assistant coaches and each are 2nd yr head coaches who’ve achieved effectively of their first season. Joe Mazzulla received the primary spherical in Boston. Which former assistant will lead their workforce to the win on this one?
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Will they allow them to play or will they name each ticky tack foul? Will they favor the house workforce? We by no means know what any given crew will do. The Celtics want to remain centered and never enable dangerous calls or lack of calls take away their composure and take them out of their recreation.
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