Utah Jazz vs Boston Celtics Game Thread

Tonight the Utah Jazz (22-13) play Game 2 of their five game trip out East, and will face off against the new and improved Boston Celtics (20-14). The Jazz have the better record, despite all the injuries and playing in the West, but Boston has the -6.0 line according to Las Vegas. I guess they know their NBA history and know who is and isn't going to play well tonight. And honestly? The C's are picking up a lot of intangibles lately, playing a lot of teams without their starting PG. That has worked out great because Boston's best player this year has been their starting PG.

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Team Breakdown:

Last season these two teams split the season series, but historically this has been Boston's home and they have been very good at making us recognize that. (SEVEN STRAIGHT #UTAatBOS losses for the Jazz!) The Celtics have been streaking, winning four in a row. The Jazz have won four in a row as well. Somethings gotta give.

• PPG: UTA 99.0 (26th) - BOS 106.1 (8th)
• O.PPG: UTA 94.5 (1st) - BOS 104.3 (15th)
• PACE: UTA 91.1 (30th) - BOS 96.0 (18th)
• ORTG: UTA 108.7 (12th) - BOS 110.3 (7th)
• DRTG: UTA 103.8 (3rd) - BOS 108.3 (19th)

Good offense against good defense. It should be fun! (You know, except for the fact that the refs will be giving the Celtics a lot of home court love and Thomas will get to the line 13 times tonight.)

.@utahjazz and @celtics meet in Boston tonight. Tune in on @NBATV at 730PM ET. #TakeNote #Celtics

Crew chief: Brian Forte pic.twitter.com/PuozNY6JGq

— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) January 3, 2017

We see you, guys!

Fan Map:

This is what winning 17 rings gets you.

Assumed Starters:

• PG: Shelvin Mack vs. Isaiah Thomas
  
• SG: Rodney Hood vs. Avery Bradley
  
• SF: Gordon Hayward vs. Jae Crowder
  
• PF: Derrick Favors (?) vs. Amir Johnson
  
• C: Rudy Gobert vs. Al Horford

If Favors doesn't start, and I think he kind of should, then Quin Snyder could go with Boris Diaw here. Diaw started the second half of the last game.

Injuries / Absences:

• PG: George Hill (UTA, OUT), Dante Exum (UTA, OUT), Marcus Smart (Questionable)
  
• SG: Avery Bradley (BOS, IN)
  
• SF: James Young (BOS, OUT)
  
• PF: Joel Bolomboy (UTA, NBADL)
  
• C: Tyler Zeller (BOS, OUT)

GO JAZZ GO!