The Utah Jazz host the Boston Celtics in Tuesday night’s showdown from the Delta Center, between two very different teams in the standings. The Celtics come in first place in the East, while the Jazz occupy 12th place in the West. Last January, the Celtics dominated their way to a 29-point victory, giving them two straight games in the series and three of the last four overall. Even though Boston will be heavily favored in this one, there is no doubt that the Jazz have the pieces necessary to catch fire and cause an upset.
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The Celtics continue their road trip
The Celtics have had one of the best seasons in the NBA and a big reason why is their success on the road. This road trip started with back-to-back losses, but a win against Phoenix on Saturday night helped them get back into the win column. They have an overall record of 20-11 on the road, which is one of the best marks in the NBA and playing against the Jazz should give them the confidence to reach 21. After dominating this game at home, the Celtics have won. I don’t want to take anything for granted, especially since this is their fourth straight road game. Knowing that they will have the Suns at home next, they will certainly want a victory before that one.
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It won’t help that Boston has six players on the injury report as they close out the road trip. Jrue Holiday (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) have both already been ruled out. Fortunately, the trio of Derrick White, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are all listed as probable.
Boston’s offense ranks top ten in the league in almost every category, including first on three completions and three attempts. With their top three shooters all likely, it’s good news that they probably won’t see a decline there. On the defensive side, Boston is second in field goal defense percentage and three-point defense percentage, although their fast pace allows their opponents to make many shots. While this isn’t usually a concern against Utah, depth could be a concern in this one. Down two of their five double-digit scorers and with this marking the end of their road trip, a lack of legs could haunt them if Utah trails.
Jazz looking to play a spoiler
The Jazz turned heads last season, but some struggles this year have them limping toward the end of the season unless they find a way to turn things around. They’re a few games behind the top ten seeds to sneak into the playoffs, but with just two wins in their last ten games, things continue to trend in a difficult direction. They are on a two-game losing streak heading into this one and with this match kicking off their country, they will be hoping a little magic on the pitch can turn things around. Two of their next three games are against the Timberwolves, so the road won’t get any easier after Boston.
Utah has two injuries to worry about, although its injury report isn’t as long as Boston’s. Lauri Markkanen (quadriceps) is the main name that jumps out, as he has been ruled out and will be a major absence. Add to that the fact that Taylor Hendricks (toe) is also out, leaving them without a key depth piece.
The Jazz will have their hands full on both ends in this one, especially with Markkanen (23.1 points per game), their top scorer. A lot will fall on the backcourt, with Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson expected to carry the brunt of the scoring load. The Jazz rank 19th and 21st in field goal percentage and three-point percentage, respectively, which doesn’t bode well considering the defense they’ll face. On the defensive side, the outlook is even bleaker, as they rank in the bottom third of almost every defensive category. Adding the fact that they will be without their rim protector should only add to the worry.
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The Celtics have shown the ability to win on the road during this season and given that their road record is better than Utah’s at home, winning and covering the spread in this one won’t will not be a problem. The Celtics have their trio of perimeter stars ready to go and in the frontcourt they still have experience and depth they can lean on. As for Utah, being without their leading scorer will likely be too much for them to overcome, not to mention his missed defensive presence. Boston has covered the spread in seven of its last nine games overall and the team is ready to go into this one to extend that trend even further.
Prediction: Boston
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Utah’s lack of defense will drive up the score in this one. Boston has an efficient offense and is one of the highest scoring teams in the league, so they expect their stars on the perimeter to be ready to compete in this one. Their three-point shooting is the best in the league and considering Utah’s struggles defending the long-range shot, this will be an easy way for Boston to find a score. For Utah, they will also have a significant perimeter in this one, as Jordan Clarkson expects to have the green light from the outside to try and contribute to success. Boston will be able to control the pace and speed up this game, which will only increase the scores even more. The over has hit in four of the last five meetings between these two and four times in a row for Utah overall, as both of those trends continue in this one.
Prediction: More
