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Boston Celtics (7-4) at Utah Jazz (5-6)
Friday November 9, 2018
9:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #12 Road Game #8
TV: ESPN, NBCSB, ATTSN-RM
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 1280 AM The Zone
Vivint Smart Home ArenaProbable StartersPG
SG
SF
PF
C
PG: Terry Rozier
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Gordon Hayward
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Al Horford
Celtics ReservesMarcus Morris
Marcus Smart
Aron Baynes
Semi Ojeleye
Guerschon Yabusele
Brad Wanamaker
Robert Williams
InjuriesJabari Bird
Daniel Theis
Kyrie Irving
Two Way PlayersWalt Lemon, Jr.
P. J. Dozier
Head CoachBrad Stevens
Probable Starters PG
SG
SF
PF
C
PG: Ricky Rubio
SG: Donovan Mitchell
SF: Joe Ingles
PF: Derrick Favors
C: Rudy Gobert
Jazz Reserves Tony Bradley
Alec Burks
Jae Crowder
Dante Exum
George Niang
Royce O'Neal
Thank Sefolosha
Ekpe Udoh
Grayson Allen
Injuries Raul Neto
Two Way PlayersNaz Long
Tyler Cavanaugh
Head Coach Quin Snyder
Game Notes After a tougher than expected OT win last night in Phoenix, the Celtics travel to Utah to take on the Jazz in the second game of a back to back. Boston will have to go at it tonight without Kyrie Irving, as Kyrie is attending a memorial service for his recently passed grandfather. This will open up a position in the starting lineup for either Marcus Smart or Terry Rozier. I'm going with Rozier thinking Stevens might try to hook into some of the Magic that Rozier showed last year when he started for an injured Irving. The Celtics will sorely miss Kyrie as he has been nothing but sensational averaging 29.4 points, 5.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds over the past 5 games.
Tonight also marks the first time return of former Jazz star, Gordon Hayward, to Vivint Smart Home Arena in two years. Hayward, of course, couldn't return to play in Utah last year as he broke his leg and dislocated his ankle in a gruesome injury 6 minutes into last season. Gordon says he is looking forward to returning to Salt Lake after spending his first seven years in the NBA with the team that drafted him. Hayward says he expects to be booed heavily.
Utah has gotten off to a very inconsistent start to the season after having large off season expectations following the unexpected success from last season where they won 48 games and went to the Western Conference semifinals. Most of reason for Utah's inconsistent start can be attributed to their defense. Last year, the Jazz had the second best defense in the league after Boston but this season they have dropped to be the 17th best defense in the league resulting in giving up 6 more points per game than last season. Utah's offense, meanwhile is about middle of the pack when compared to the rest of the league. They have picked up their pace but still put up less shots per game than everyone else in the league except two teams. However, where the Jazz do generate a lot of offense is at the free throw line as they are not afraid to take it inside through contact. They take most free throws per game in the NBA creating 21.3 points per game.
The Jazz are led offensively by second year player, Donovan Mitchell, who is putting up 22.4 points per game, however, he is one of the least efficient shooters on the team. Mitchell's inefficient shooting is offset by reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, who leads the league in FG%, 2-point FG% and eFG% at 71.9% for all three. Gobert is having his best year, scoring 16.4points and 13.1rebounds per game, both career highs. The Jazz have 5 other players averaging double digits points per game led by former Celtic Jae Crowder, who is putting up a career high 14.2 points per game off the bench.
If Boston is going to win this game the are going to have to play a full 48 minute game as they can't continue to have horrific 2nd quarters or quarters like last night's first quarter where they shot just 18% from the field. The offense is also going to need someone or someone's to step up and have big nights offensively to make up for the loss of Kyrie Irving. Defensively, the Celtics need to contain the Jazz' inside the paint game and also not let someone have an explosion of points against them like they have their last three games with Devin Booker, Jamal Murray and Victor Oladipo having huge games.