Preview: Utah Jazz (2-4) at Boston Celtics (3-4) Game #8 11/3/25

Utah Jazz (2-4) at Boston Celtics (3-4)Monday, November 3, 20257:30 PM ETTV: NBCSB, KJZZ, NBA-LPRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, 1280 AM The Zone, Sirius XMRegular Season Recreation #8 Residence Recreation #4TD Backyard

The Celtics host the Utah Jazz for the primary of two conferences between these two groups this season. They may meet once more in Utah on December 30. The Celtics received the collection 2-0 final season successful at house and on the street. The Celtics are 63-46 towards the Jazz general, all time. They’re 40-15 all time in video games performed in Boston.

These groups have fairly just a few connections between them. To begin with, after taking part in for the Celtics from 1981-1989 after which serving because the Basic Supervisor for the Celtics for 18 years, Danny Ainge is now the CEO of basketball operations and alternate governor of the Utah Jazz. Will Hardy was an assistant coach for the Celtics earlier than being employed as the pinnacle coach of the Jazz. Svi Mykhailiuk performed on the Celtics 2024 championship staff. Georges Niang was traded to the Celtics within the offseason however was traded to the Jazz earlier than taking part in for the Celtics. Jazz assistant coach Jason Terry performed one season for the Celtics in 2012-13.

The Jazz made just a few important modifications within the off season. They traded Collin Sexton to Charlotte for Jusuf Nurkic. They traded John Collins to the Clippers in a 3 staff commerce that introduced again Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson. They traded RJ Luis to Boston for Georges Niang. They misplaced Jordan Clarkson as a free agent to the Knicks and waived Jaden Springer. In addition they added Ace Bailey with the fifth choose within the draft and Walter Clayton, Jr with the 18th choose within the draft.

After this recreation at house towards Utah, the Celtics will then play Washington at house earlier than a 3 recreation street journey together with 2 video games at Orlando and one at Philadelphia. A kind of video games in Orlando would be the second NBA Cup recreation. Then they’ve 2 video games at house towards Memphis and the LA Clippers. Then it’s one recreation on the street at Brooklyn earlier than taking part in Brooklyn, Orlando, and Detroit at house. The house recreation towards Brooklyn can even be a Cup recreation.

The Jazz are taking part in on the second evening of again to again video games, having performed in Charlotte on Sunday. That is the third recreation of a 5 recreation street journey.which is able to end up in Detroit and Minnesota. They then have a 4 recreation house stand the place they may host Minnesota, Indiana, Atlanta and Chicago. Then it’s one recreation on the street towards the Los Angeles Lakers earlier than house video games towards the Thunder and the Lakers.

As of proper now, Jayson Tatum is the one participant on the Celtics harm record as he rehabs from the Achilles tear he suffered within the playoffs. That doesn’t imply that different gamers received’t be added earlier than recreation time. For the Jazz, Isaiah Collier (hamstring) and Walker Kessler (shoulder) each missed Sunday’s recreation and are questionable for this recreation. Georges Niang (foot) is out.

I’m guessing that the Celtics will go along with the identical beginning lineup that they’ve used within the final 4 video games that features Josh Minott. They received 3 of the 4 video games that he has began, shedding solely to the Rockets of their final recreation. I’m together with the beginning lineup that the Jazz used of their final recreation. If Walker Kessler is ready to play, he’ll begin at heart for them. It’s completely doable that each coaches may change up their starters.

Possible Beginning Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Keyonte George

SG: Payton Pritchard vs Svi Mykhailiuk

SF: Jaylen Brown vs Taylor Hendricks

PF: Josh Minott vs Lauri Markkanen

C: Neemias Queta vs Jusuf Nurkic

Celtics ReservesAnfernee SimonsHugo GonzalezXavier TillmanJordan WalshSam HauserLuka GarzaBaylon ScheiermanChris Boucher2-Manner PlayersRon Harper, JrMax ShulgaAmari WilliamsInjuries/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) out

Jazz ReservesKyle AndersonAce BaileyWalter Clayton, JrKyle FilipowskiKevin LoveBrice SensabaughCody Williams

Two Manner PlayersElijah HarklessJohn TonjeOscar Tshiebwe

Accidents/OutIsaiah Collier (hamstring) questionableWalker Kessler (shoulder) questionableGeorges Niang (foot)

Key Matchups Josh Minott vs Lauri MarkkanenMarkkanen is main the Jazz with 33.8 factors, 6.6 rebounds, and a couple of.2 assists. He’s capturing 50.5% from the sphere and 39.2% from past the arc. He’s a handful for any staff to defend and the Celtics can solely hope to sluggish him down.

Derrick White vs Keyonte GeorgeGeorge is averaging 21.2 factors, 3.8 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1 steal per recreation. He’s capturing 40.6% from the sphere and 25.8% from past the arc. Derrick White has been struggling together with his shot to this point this season and this is able to be a great time for him to seek out his vary and hit his photographs, particularly from lengthy vary.Honorable MentionHugo Gonzalez vs Ace BaileyBailey was the fifth choose within the draft and Gonzalez was the twenty eighth choose within the draft however to this point, there isn’t lots of distinction of their stats. Bailey is averaging 4.4 factors, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per recreation whereas capturing 25% from the sphere and 16.7% from past the arc. Gonzalez is averaging 3.6 factors 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals whereas capturing 38.1% from the sphere and 28.6% from past the arc.Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is all the time the important thing to successful video games. The Celtics have been second within the preseason with a defensive score of 100.2. The Celtics are actually thirteenth with a defensive score of 114.2. The Jazz are twenty first with a defensive score of 116.0. The Jazz are ninth, averaging 120.2 factors per recreation and the Celtics are twenty seventh, averaging 111.6 factors per recreation. The Celtics might want to play robust protection to restrict their scoring on this one.

Rebound – Rebounding stands out as the largest key to successful proper now because the Celtics’ 4 losses are largely as a result of they weren’t in a position to rebound. The Jazz are 1st with 50.8 rebounds per recreation whereas the Celtics are 14th with 43.6 rebounds per recreation. They merely must struggle tougher to seize rebounds than the Jazz. A lot of rebounding is effort as evidenced by Payton Pritchard grabbing 10 rebounds towards the Pistons. Each Celtic has bought to crash the boards and struggle for each rebound.Their effort on the boards will make all of the distinction.

Effort and Vitality – Of their 3 wins, the Celtics performed tougher and with extra power than their opponents. That needs to be their id this season. They must play tougher on protection. They must rebound tougher. They must play with power and additional effort for each possession. They’ll’t permit the Jazz to play tougher than them and must play with extra power.

Transfer the Ball Rigorously – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball. Once they have extra assists, their offense appears to work a lot better. They’ll’t get slowed down dribbling and taking part in iso ball. The Jazz are fifth with 28.6 assists per recreation whereas the Celtics are twenty ninth with simply 22.3 assists per recreation. The Celtics must maintain the ball shifting to seek out the open man and to get the very best photographs. Nevertheless, they must make cautious passes in order to not flip the ball over because the Jazz are fifth with 22 level off turnovers per recreation.

X-FactorsAt Residence and Fatigue – The Celtics are at house the place they’re 1-2 to this point. The Celtics have the group behind them and if they offer a great effort, the followers will cheer them on and assist to inspire them. The Celtics are coming off 5 video games in 7 nights that resulted in a again to again. They’ve had in the future off, however may nonetheless be feeling the results of so many video games in a short while. The Jazz are taking part in on the second evening of again to again video games on the street and so the staff that may dig down deep and overcome the fatigue will doubtless get the win.Teaching – Each Joe Mazzulla and Will Hardy have been assistant coaches on the Celtics earlier than the Jazz employed Will Hardy as their head coach and Joe Mazzulla was promoted to go coach of the Celtics. I can think about that they each have additional motivation to get a win on this recreation and one up one another.

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 staff or name it evenly? We by no means know what any given crew will do. The Celtics want to remain targeted and never permit dangerous calls or lack of calls to remove their give attention to taking part in the sport the fitting manner.