The Jazz are hosting the Celtics on Tuesday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Boston is favored by 8.5 points and this game carries a total of 242.5 points.
Below, I break down the matchup and provide a pick for the game.
Celtics at Jazz preview, prediction
The Celtics are coming off a frustrating 114-108 loss to the Trail Blazers, but the team had won three straight before this and Boston is 7-3 in its last 10. Even with Jayson Tatum out and rehabbing his torn Achilles, the Celtics are 19-12 and rank fifth in net rating this season. Boston ranks fourth in offensive rating, with Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard all having career seasons.
Brown specifically has been one of the best players in the NBA this season, ranking fourth in scoring at 29.7 PPG while shooting 50.6% from the field. The former NBA Finals MVP has scored 30+ points in nine straight games, which is tied with Larry Bird for the most consecutive 30+ point games in Celtics’ history. Brown absolutely knows that passing Bird for this milestone is achievable tonight and Brown should be ultra-aggressive vs. the Jazz.
Utah is 12-19 and ranks 26th in net rating this season, but the Jazz are fresh off two of their best wins of the season, beating the Pistons at home and then defeating the Spurs on the road. Keyonte George was superb in these victories, scoring 31 and 28 points, and the guard is averaging a career-high 24.2 PPG this season.
Unfortunately, George is questionable to play tonight with an illness and the Jazz giving him the night off wouldn’t be surprising, given George has yet to miss a game this season. If he does suit up, Utah will be in a much better position to keep pace with the Celtics offensively. However, with or without George, the Jazz’s defense is likely to struggle, which has been the norm this season, with the team ranking second-to-last in defensive rating.
Utah is especially weak at defending outside shooters, with the team allowing the most made three-pointers per game this season (15.4), making it a poor matchup for the Celtics. Under Joe Mazzulla, Boston notoriously relies on its outside shot and this season has been no exception, with the club ranking second in three-pointers made per game (15.6) on the third-most attempts per game (42.8).
Celtics at Jazz pick, best bet
The Celtics are 7-4 following a loss this season and they should bounce back with a win over the Jazz tonight. Boston covering this 8.5-point spread is possible, but it’s hard to have a ton of confidence in that bet with Utah an impressive 13-5 ATS at home this season.
Instead, backing the Celtics -2.5 in the first quarter makes more sense. This season, Boston is 18-13 ATS in the first quarter and the team ranks sixth in first quarter net rating, while the Jazz rank dead last.
