Before Friday’s sport in opposition to the Jazz, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was requested why his group is so elite defensively. His reply was mildly stunning contemplating his group entered the night time ranked third in defensive score.
“I don’t think we’re there yet, but I think we’re working on it,” Mazzulla mentioned.
A couple of hours later, the Celtics took one other step in that course.
The Celtics weren’t sharp defensively on Tuesday night time in Oklahoma City, resulting in a uncommon loss for this group, however three nights later – with some contemporary legs and again at comfy TD Garden – they responded. They swallowed the inferior Jazz from the opening tip and by no means let up in a dominant 126-97 victory that was hardly ever doubtful.
Jayson Tatum scored 30 factors, which included a season-high 13 free throws, Kristaps Porzingis had 19 and Jrue Holiday contributed 14 because the Celtics made fast and simple work of the surging Jazz – who have been winners of 9 of their earlier 12 video games – on this convincing romp. The blowout allowed Mazzulla to present his starters some important additional relaxation forward of Saturday’s back-to-back in Indiana, as all of them sat out for the whole thing of the fourth quarter. The Celtics improved to 17-0 at residence this season.
On Friday, the Celtics set the tone within the opening minute. After they dedicated a turnover on the opening possession, Tatum raced again in transition to dam Kris Dunn’s layup try. Moments later, Jaylen Brown produced a clear block of Jazz star Lauri Markkanen on the rim.
It appeared to spark the Celtics on each ends as they jumped out to a 10-0 lead. The Jazz missed their first 9 photographs of the sport earlier than a dunk from Markkanen. But after Porzingis drained a 3-pointer halfway by way of the opening interval to place the Celtics again up 10, the Jazz by no means minimize their deficit again to single digits.
The Celtics suffocated them defensively. On one play, Oshae Brissett stripped Jordan Clarkson and dove on the ground for the unfastened ball, resulting in a break wherein Brown discovered Sam Hauser for an alley-oop dunk. The Celtics held the Jazz to only 15 first-quarter factors, limiting them to 5-for-29 capturing.
It snowballed within the second quarter, which acquired ugly for the Jazz. The Celtics’ bench group of Tatum, Holiday, Hauser, Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet dominated as they went on a 20-4 run that primarily put the sport away. At one level within the quarter, the Celtics have been tripling up the Jazz, 54-18. Midway by way of second, Tatum had extra factors by himself than the Jazz, who began the sport an virtually unbelievable 6-for-39 from the sector. The Celtics led by as many as 36 factors and by 31 at halftime.
The Celtics, after a horrible third quarter on Tuesday, didn’t calm down and let the Jazz get again into it on Friday as they led by greater than 30 for nearly your complete interval. Tatum – who had an encouraging capturing night time by going 5-for-8 from 3-point vary and 13-for-14 from the free-throw line – exited with 4:01 remaining within the third. His fellow starters quickly adopted, as did Gino Time.
Source: www.bostonherald.com