Coming off of a win in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, the Celtics began a six-game highway journey in opposition to the Utah Jazz. With the Jazz having most of their gamers out with damage, the Celtics averted the lure sport and beat Utah 121-99.
Kristaps Porzingis led the way in which for the Celtics with 27 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists on 9-15 capturing from the sphere and 3-5 from three. Jayson Tatum had a fantastic sport as properly with 26 factors, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and three steals on 11-25 capturing. Though the Jazz made it a 2-point sport at one level, the Celtics took care of enterprise with 13-0 run late within the third quarter because the distinction maker.
Boston’s protection compelled Utah into 17 turnovers with 13 steals on the night time. The Celtics scored 26 factors off of the Jazz’s turnovers and had 33 second likelihood factors. Boston’s bench was additionally a giant issue on this sport. With Jaylen Brown dominated out, the bench scored 44 factors led by 18 factors from Payton Pritchard.
Picture by Jamie Sabau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Picture by Jamie Sabau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
After Kristaps Porzingis hit a 30-foot three for the Celtics’ first factors of the sport, Boston rattled off a 14-2 run with threes from Jayson Tatum and Derrick White that compelled Jazz coach Will Hardy to name an early timeout.
The Celtics scoring run opened as much as 22-7 out of the Jazz timeout as their offense was clicking on all cylinders. Porzingis was a driving pressure through the run as he continued his development of beginning video games scorching, ending the primary quarter with 10 factors on 3-6 capturing.
Nonetheless, the primary quarter belonged to Jayson Tatum as all the pieces was falling for him early on together with this play the place he bicycle-kicked the ball to himself for a layup.
Tatum completed the quarter with 14 factors, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and three steals on 6-9 capturing because the Celtics took a 35-21 lead on the finish of the primary. Boston’s offense was scorching within the first quarter as they shot 46% from the sphere and 41% from three. The Celtics protection additionally compelled the Jazz into 5 turnovers as Boston’s protection was in all places.
Picture by Jamie Sabau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Utah began the second quarter on an 11-4 with Tatum on the bench, with Johnny Juzang began to provide the Jazz some life. The Celtics offense had a sluggish to begin the quarter, however Porzingis stored them afloat. Boston was capable of reply with an 11-2 run of their very own to maintain the lead at double digits.
Tatum returned halfway by the quarter and continued to bully Utah’s smaller defenders beneath the basket. The Jazz by no means went away nevertheless as Collin Sexton began to chip away on the Celtics lead. Porzingis answered with a put again layup on the finish of the quarter as Boston took a 60-51 lead at halftime.
Kristaps Porzingis led the way in which for the Celtics within the first half with 21 factors and seven rebounds on 6-11 capturing as he continued his nice play getting back from his sickness. Tatum was proper alongside him with 17 factors on 7-13 capturing whereas Sexton led the Jazz with 16 factors. Boston had an enormous benefit within the turnover battle within the first half as they compelled Utah into 9 of them whereas scoring 13 factors off these turnovers.
Picture by Jamie Sabau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Porzingis opened up the second half proper the place he left off with a pleasant faux handoff to get round Walker Kessler for a large open dunk.
Collin Sexton rapidly responded with two three pointers as his scorching capturing night time continued and the Jazz reduce the Celtics result in 5. Boston responded with baskets of their very own, however Sexton continued to torment the Celtics as he hit a 3rd three to chop the deficit to 4 factors and pressure Joe Mazzulla to name a timeout. Porzingis made a layup out of the timeout however a Keyonte George three reduce the Celtics result in 2 with six and half minutes to go within the quarter.
Then Boston began to discover a groove once more as Jayson Tatum hit a 3 and Derrick White compelled a steal that led to a Luke Kornet layup that compelled Utah to name a timeout. The Celtics continued to roll as they opened up their scoring run to 13-0 and pushed the lead again as much as 15 factors. Boston continued to deal with enterprise as they took an 89-75 lead into the fourth quarter. The Celtics protection continued to impress as they compelled 10 steals by three quarters.
Picture by Jamie Sabau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Payton Pritchard opened the fourth quarter together with his seventh straight level for the Celtics whereas Kristaps Porzingis and Collin Sexton obtained right into a shoving match that resulted in double technical fouls. The Jazz began to make one other go at a comeback, however Jrue Vacation had an unbelievable sequence the place he obtained a steal on one finish and a layup on the opposite.
It turned the Payton Pritchard Present after this as he scored 8 straight factors for the Celtics highlighted by an unbelievable and-1 three from the brand.
After taking place with an damage earlier within the sport, Keyonte George began to hit a pair loopy photographs in an effort to get the Jazz again into it the sport. That was till Jayson Tatum checked again into the sport for the ultimate 5 minutes. He hit a layup and a fadeaway on back-to-back possessions and located Luke Kornet for one more basket that pushed the Celtics result in 20 factors and basically iced the sport.
Picture by Jamie Sabau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
The following sport is on Sunday, March twenty third at 6 pm on NBC Sports activities Boston because the Celtics proceed their highway journey with a matchup in opposition to the Portland Path Blazers.