Celtics Trounce Jazz, 128-97: Three Key Takeaways
The Utah Jazz were swarmed at the hands of the Boston Celtics and lost 126-97 in a non-competitive contest from the tip. The Celtics are widely regarded as the best team in the NBA, and the Jazz seemed intimidated in the TD Garden.
This sub-par effort marked the sixth time this season the Jazz failed to surpass the 100-point plateau compared to five all of last season. Now, let's review several key takeaways from the Jazz-Celtics.
Lack of Effort: Starters
All of the Jazz Starters registered negative game ratings and were visibly defeated within minutes of this contest. The team's body language indicated that Jazz presented no grit or resistance against the opponent.
A long, cold night is inevitable when -9 is the best net rating from the starters. This behavior exhibited on the court is due to a lack of effort, which is somewhat surprising based on the recent play by the Jazz. The hope for Jazz Nation is this was a bad night and better days for success lie ahead.
Mixed Bag: John Collins
Collins contributed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. He also committed five fouls and registered a game-high -28 rating. It's time to relegate Collins to a reserve role due to his limitations on the playing floor and mixed performances.
Sure, he's a dynamite athlete, but when you face the Celtics, you'll need to be hitting on all cylinders to even have a shot. Keep in mind Boston is 17-0 on its home court.
With the positive development of rookie Taylor Hendricks, it might be time for Jazz CEO Danny Ainge to make a move. However, that could prove difficult considering the contract size that a trade partner would need to take on.
Quick Turnaround: Game tomorrow
The Jazz will get an opportunity to put this loss behind them as they will face the Philadelphia 76ers tomorrow evening. The 76ers also played today, and MVP Center Joel Embiid has past history of sitting in back-to-back games. The Jazz are 1-4 in back-to-back games this season.
Also, after the 76ers game, it isn't getting any easier for Utah. The Jazz will face the Milwaukee Bucks in their last game of the current road trip, followed up by a date with the World Champion Denver Nuggets at the Delta Center.
Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.
Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live-stream!
