Recap: Celtics Can’t Handle the Music vs Jazz
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The Celtics fell to the Utah Jazz 117-109 on Tuesday night. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the way for Boston scoring 29 and 28 points respectively. Kemba Walker wasn’t half bad as the third scoring option, putting in 16 points of his own. The Jazz had six different players in double figures with Donovan Mitchell leading the way with 21 points. The Celtics struggled to get stops when it mattered, which ultimately led to their demise.
The C’s came out of the gates firing. Daniel Theis knocked down a jumper for the first two points of the night. The two teams traded baskets early, before a few buckets from Brown and Walker. Utah had to take a timeout after the Celtics opened up a 14-5 lead.
The Jazz found their footing after the break. They were able to cut down the Boston lead to just four after back to back threes from Joe Ingles. The Celtics struggled to finish the quarter, scoring just six points over the last 5:45 of the first quarter. They found themselves up 22-20 after.
Early on in the second, the C’s found the answer to their offensive struggles. It was Theis. The big German scored seven early second quarter points to give the Celtics a boost.
Unfortunately, Utah’s offense found its solution. It was Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson made three quick threes to put the Jazz up 36-33. The Celtics responded with a 9-2 run fueled by an aggressive Walker. However, Boston failed to close the quarter once again. They gave up an 11-2 run going into the half, where they found themselves down 54-53.
They really lost a quarter where they shot 73% from the field and 60% from deep.
The C’s continued to play well offensively in the third. Tatum and Brown scored on back to back possessions to kick off the half.
The problem was that they couldn’t stop the Jazz, who stretched their lead to five early on. Both teams went extremely cold towards the middle of the quarter. The Celtics missed a great opportunity to get themselves a lead and instead allowed Utah to maintain their lead. JT had seen enough and took matters into his own hands. He made a nice stepback, disrupted a Rudy Gobert Layup, and then converted a four point play to give Boston a 76-75 lead.
Marcus Smart even pitched in a three to give the Celtics a 79-77 lead heading into the final frame.
Gobert and Clarkson combined for a quick five points for Utah to begin the fourth. The Jazz followed up a JB turnaround jumper with another quick five. This time it was Georges Niang and Gobert doing the scoring.
Brown continued to will the C’s along through the fourth. He drilled a big three to cut the Utah lead to six. A few possessions later he finished a layup through contact and converted the and-1.
Tatum and Walker combined for a few more quick buckets and the lead was down to just three. Boston buckled down on defense, got a few tough stops and then Tatum finished a transition layup to cut it down to just one.
The C’s got a tough whistle and it turned the tide. Utah hit back to back threes to stretch the lead to seven.
Boston got back to back transition baskets from Tatum and Brown but then straight up forgot how to execute.
In their defense they got absolutely hosed on a Robert Williams screen foul call.
Smart missed back to back threes failing to tie the game. Mitchell drilled a big time three for the Jazz putting them up six with a minute to go.
The Celtics played the foul game and watched Utah walk away with a 117-109 victory.
Head Coach Brad Stevens thought the Celtics had some good defensive possessions, “but not enough of them.”
“When you make a mistake they make you pay. We don’t make everyone pay as much as everyone else does,” said Stevens.
