The Celtics proceed their residence stand as they host the Utah Jazz for the primary of two video games between them this season. They may face off once more in Utah on March 21. The Celtics received the sequence 2-0 final season. The Celtics are 62-46 general, all time towards the Jazz and they’re 39-15 in video games performed in Boston. The Jazz are enjoying on the second night time of again to again video games, having performed in Philadelphia on Sunday night time.
The Jazz had a busy off season with out doing loads. They traded Kris Dunn to the Clippers for Russell Westbrook, who was then waived. They signed Drew Eubanks, Svi Mykhailiuk and Patty Mills after which traded Mills and Eubanks for Mo Bamba and PJ Tucker, each of whom have been waived. In addition they waived Darius Bazley and Omer Yurtseven. After all Danny Ainge obtained draft concerns in every of these offers. They signed draft decide Kyle Filipowski. They not too long ago signed former Celtic Jaden Springer to a multiyear contract and so they signed Anton Watson to a ten day contract after which waived him. In addition they acquired draft picks for facilitating the Luka/AD commerce.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, and are 8 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers who’ve received their final 14 video games, together with a win over Boston. They’re 5.5 video games forward of third place New York, who misplaced to those Lakers in LA on Thursday. They’re 9.5 video games forward of 4th place Milwaukee. The Celtics are 22-11 at residence and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 14-7 towards Western Convention opponents. The Celtics have received their final 4 video games.
The Utah Jazz are fifteenth within the West, 38 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re 1.5 video games behind 14th place New Orleans and 12 video games behind thirteenth place San Antonio. They don’t have any hope of constructing the play-in as they’re 16 video games behind tenth place Dallas. The Jazz are 7-25 on the highway and 2-8 of their final 10 video games. They’re 8-13 towards Jap Convention opponents. They’ve misplaced their final 5 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying within the sixth sport of a 7 sport residence stand. They misplaced the primary sport to the Cleveland Cavaliers after which beat the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trailblazers, 76ers and Lakers within the subsequent 4 video games. After this sport towards the Jazz, the Celtics will shut out the house stand towards Oklahoma Metropolis. After the 7 sport residence stand they play at Miami earlier than a house and residential set towards Brooklyn. They then have a 6 sport Western highway journey by Utah, Portland, Sacramento, Phoenix, San Antonio and Memphis. They play 5 of their final 7 video games at residence.
Utah is enjoying within the 4th sport of a 5 sport highway journey. They began the journey out with losses at Washington and Toronto earlier than dropping in Philadelphia on Sunday. They may end the journey in Memphis on Wednesday. After a sport at residence towards Toronto, they may play at Minnesota after which head residence for a 6 sport residence stand towards Chicago, Washington, Boston, Cleveland, Memphis and Houston. 6 of their final 8 video games shall be on the highway.
As with a lot of the video games not too long ago, it’s exhausting to inform who shall be out and who will play. The Celtics have 4 on the damage checklist as of now. After beginning on Thursday, Drew Peterson is listed as out for this sport because of a thigh damage. Kristaps Porzingis has gone by follow and heat up, however is uncertain for this sport and can will probably a sixth straight sport with an unknown sickness.
Al Horford is questionable with a toe damage after enjoying 37 minutes on Saturday. Jayson Tatum performed 45 minutes on Saturday and is questionable because of proper knee tendinopathy. I’m going to guess that Luke Kornet begins at heart however unsure who would begin if Tatum doesn’t play. I wouldn’t be shocked to see different gamers pop up on the damage checklist on the final minute as nicely.
The Jazz had 9 gamers out for Wednesday’s sport towards the 76ers. These 9 are questionable for this sport. Walker Kessler was out for relaxation because of enjoying again to again and can probably play on this sport. Jordan Clarkson has missed 6 video games with plantar fasciitis and is questionable for this sport. Taylor Hendricks is out with a leg damage. Lauri Markkanen has missed 8 video games with a again damage and is questionable.
Jaden Springer has missed 3 video games and is questionable with a again damage. Oscar Tshiebwe is questionable with an sickness. Collin Sexton is questionable because of ankle damage administration. EJ Harkless is questionable with a groin damage. John Collins has missed 5 video games and is questionable with a again damage. It’s exhausting to inform who will play and who will begin for the Jazz. I’ve listed the starters from their sport notes, however Kessler and Sexton are each questionable.
Possible Celtics Starters
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PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Luke Kornet
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJordan WalshXavier TillmanSam HauserTorrey Craig
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris
Accidents/OutDrew Peterson (thigh) outKristaps Porzingis (sickness) doubtfulAl Horford (toe) questionableJayson Tatum (knee) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Jazz Starters
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PG: Isaiah CollierSG: Collin SextonSF: Bruce SensabaughPF: KJ Martin C: Walker Kessler
Jazz Reserves Kyle FilipowskiKeyonte GeorgeJohnny JuzangSvi MykhailiukCody Williams
Two-Method Gamers Elijah Harkless Micah Potter Oscar Tshiebwe
Accidents/OutTaylor Hendricks (leg) outJordan Clarkson (foot) questionableJohn Collins (again) questionable Lauri Markkanen (again) questionable Jaden Springer (again) questionable Oscar Tshiebwe (sickness) questionable Elijah Harkless (groin) questionable Walker Kessler (relaxation) questionable Collin Sexton (ankle) questionable
Head CoachWill Hardy
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Picture by Chris Coduto/Getty Photographs
Collin Sexton
Picture by Alex Goodlett/Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Collin Sexton Sexton is averaging 18.2 factors, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. He’s capturing 47.4% from the sector and 40.3% from past the arc. This shall be a great matchup assuming that each White and Sexton play on this one. If Sexton is out, Johnny Juzang could get the beginning in his place.
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Luke Kornet
Picture by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Walker Kessler
Picture by Alex Goodlett/Getty Photographs
Luke Kornet vs Walker KesslerKessler has been one of many brilliant spots for the Jazz in an in any other case robust season. Kessler is averaging 11.6 factors, 12.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and a couple of.4 blocks per sport. He’s capturing 72.7% from the sector and 33.3% from past the arc. The Celtics must maintain Kessler off the boards and away from the paint.
Honorable MentionJoe Mazzulla vs Will Hardy Simply 3 seasons in the past, each Mazzulla and Hardy have been assistant coaches to Ime Udoka in Boston. Each at the moment are head coaches and among the many youngest and brightest coaches within the league. Mazzulla has received the final 3 video games between these two groups.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is the important thing to successful every sport. The Celtics are fifth within the league with a defensive score of 110.1 whereas the Jazz are twenty ninth with a defensive score of 118.4. The Celtics are sixth in factors per sport with 117.0 whereas the Jazz are nineteenth with 112.4 factors per sport. The Jazz are eighth with 39.2 three pointers tried per sport so the Celtics must play good perimeter protection. The Celtics should proceed to make protection a precedence on this, and each, sport.
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 sport. The Celtics are averaging 45.0 rebounds per sport (eleventh) whereas the Jazz are averaging 45.9 rebounds per sport, which is 4th within the league. The Jazz are eighth with 15.0 second likelihood factors per sport and the Celtics will need to have each participant struggle for rebounds to restrict these 2nd likelihood factors. If the Celtics wish to win this sport they should crash the boards and out-rebound the Jazz.
Don’t Underestimate – The Jazz have been fairly unhealthy this season and can probably be sitting key gamers as soon as once more. They’ve loads of motivation to lose since they will’t make the play in and dropping can enhance their draft decide. Nevertheless, by no means underestimate a workforce’s hatred of the Celtics. It appears that evidently each workforce, even the tanking groups stand up to play the Celtics and provides it their finest effort, particularly younger groups. I count on the Jazz to play exhausting and provides it their finest to attempt to beat the Celtics. The Celtics can’t take them with no consideration and wish to come back in with most effort for 48 minutes.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to be the extra aggressive workforce. They need to be aggressive in going to the basket, in diving for free balls, and on protection. They need to aggressively crash the boards. They need to be the workforce that desires it extra. In most of their losses, they’ve allowed their opponents to play tougher and be extra aggressive. They completely can’t let the Jazz play tougher than them in the event that they wish to have an opportunity to win.
X-Elements Residence Court docket Benefit – The Celtics are residence as soon as once more and they should take satisfaction in defending their residence courtroom. They’ve the group behind them and haven’t needed to journey for awhile now. The Jazz are on the highway for the 4th of 5 straight highway video games within the East. They’ve a hostile crowd and an unfamiliar courtroom together with the distractions of journey.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an x-factor. Will they allow them to play or will they name each ticky tack foul? Will they favor the house workforce or name it evenly? We by no means know what any given crew will do. The Celtics want to remain targeted and never permit unhealthy calls or lack of calls take away their give attention to enjoying the sport the precise means.
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