Jayson Tatum’s 38 points and Derrick White’s 24 led the Boston Celtics to a 123-107 victory over the struggling Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.
Despite missing key players like Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford, the Celtics shot exceptionally well, hitting 40.8% from beyond the arc. “We won that battle on the boards and we needed to,” said Boston coach Joe Mazzulla.
Keyonte George scored 26 points, with 14 coming in the first quarter, while Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton contributed 21 and 20 points, respectively, for the Jazz, who have now lost 11 of their last 13 games.
In the third quarter, the Jazz rallied within two points, but the Celtics responded with a 20-0 run, fueled by Jrue Holiday’s back-to-back 3-pointers.
“We have a lot of elite defenders and a lot of guys that are competing on both sides of the ball. When you have guys doing things like that, it just drives you to compete more defensively. It’s just a lot of fun,” White remarked.
Boston’s defensive pressure, combined with efficient shooting, helped them secure the win, even amidst injuries and unusual lineups.
The Celtics capitalized on their strong finish to the five-game road trip, clinching three consecutive victories. Their 9-2 record on the second game of back-to-back sets further underscored their resilience.
“It’s very much frustrating especially when you’re trying to play defense,” Sexton commented on Utah’s offensive struggles.
Led by White and Hauser, who each hit four 3-pointers in the first half, the Celtics surged to a 72-57 lead at halftime. “You always want to get off to a good start. Obviously, when you’re hitting 3s it looks good,” White noted.
White’s confidence in shooting, encouraged by his father, contributed to his stellar performance, with seven 3-pointers made in the game. “We have a culture where it doesn’t matter who is in, guys are ready to play,” Mazzulla emphasized. “I have no hesitancy putting any one of those guys in at any time.”
