Everything you need to know about the Jazz beating the Celtics 98-86 in BSJ Quickie Form
Box Score
HEADLINES
Offense collapses again: The Celtics put together their worst home offensive outing of the year, shooting 38.8 percent from the field and a season-low 5-of-33 from 3-point range against a Jazz team that was traveling on the second half of a back-to-back. Kyrie Irving (20 points) and Jayson Tatum (10 points were the only two Celtics to crack double digits as a host of key rotation players (Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris) suffered through some of their worst shooting nights of the year. With no interior scoring coming easy against Rudy Gobert, the C’s were reliant on the 3-point shot and it failed them, especially in the third quarter (0-of-10).
Starters (minus Irving) get benched late: After watching three consecutive alley-oops by the Jazz in the early stages of the fourth quarter, Brad Stevens decided he had seen enough as the Jazz stretch out their lead to 22 points. Irving was the only starter that remained on the floor as Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward were all benched for the final nine minutes of the defeat as Stevens searched for some energy at the bottom of the roster. While tired legs were undoubtedly a factor in Boston’s performance, a lack of defensive focus and effort was prevalent as the shots stopped falling.
TURNING POINT
The Jazz stretched out a five-point halftime lead to 15 in the third quarter behind some tenacious defense. They limited the Celtics to just 30 percent shooting in the frame (8-of-26), including 0-of-10 shooting from 3-point range. With free throw attempts (just three in the quarter) nowhere to be found, the C’s grew frustrated with their ugly offense and it affected their defensive effort, which helped the Jazz put the game away early.
ONE UP
Kyrie Irving: The lone bright spot on the Celtics offense tonight. He shot 50 percent from the field for the seventh time in the last nine games, while grabbing a season-high eight rebounds. He’s now averaging 28.5 points over his last six games and is shooting 56 percent from the field and 47 percent from beyond the arc over that stretch.
TWO DOWN
Marcus Morris: He was overdue for a poor shooting night and it finally arrived on a night the rest of the offense went flat as well. He went 1-of-8 from the field in just 19 minutes and missed all four of his 3-point attempts while finishing with a season-low three points.
Jaylen Brown: The shooting guard has missed 15 of his last 16 shot attempts from the field over the last seven quarters, posting another horrific outing (1-of-9 from field) in 24 minutes. He’s shooting just 38.3 percent from the field and 29 percent from 3-point range on the season, easily the worst numbers of his career in both categories.
TOP PLAY
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 18, 2018