Boston Celtics vs Utah Jazz: 3 key matchups to watch out for | NBA Season 2020-21
The Utah Jazz are set to welcome the Boston Celtics to Salt Lake City on Tuesday.
The Jazz were the NBA's form side in January and have won 15 of their last 16 encounters this season.
The Celtics, on the other hand, have had to deal with constant injury concerns. They will be looking to end a dismal run which has seen them lose 6 of their last 10 matchups.
Boston Celtics vs Utah Jazz: 3 key matchups
The Utah Jazz's upcoming game against the Boston Celtics will give fans a better idea of where their stars currently match up against fellow playoff contenders.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics were without the services of Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart in the last game. We expect them to be absent once again as there has been no up-to-date news on their return.
Without further ado, let us have a look at which matchups could decide this game.
#3 Tristan Thompson vs Rudy Gobert
With the Boston Celtics coming into this fixture undermanned, Tristan Thompson's ability to limit Rudy Gobert's effectiveness will be crucial.
Coach Brad Stevens may even choose to play both Thompson and Daniel Theis in an effort to contain the Frenchman.
Thompson will need to repeat the effort shown during his 17-point and 10-rebound game against the Kings last week, though he will be up against one of the league's elite defenders this time around.
The 29-year-old proved that he can be an offensive threat for the Boston Celtics and not just the end-to-end rim protector that he was brought in to be.
In 22 minutes this season, Thompson is averaging 7.1 points and 8.6 rebounds as he continues to be preferred as a rebounding option rather than a clutch-time player.
Gobert, on the other hand, is averaging 13.5 points and 13.3 rebounds along with a career-high 2.7 blocks, defying his early-season critics.
His energy to provide on both ends of the floor as well as his screen-setting have been the main reasons why the Utah Jazz sit at the top of the Western Conference.
Tristan Thompson certainly has a difficult opponent in Rudy Gobert, and their matchup will be pivotal to this game's outcome.
#2 Kemba Walker vs Donovan Mitchell
Playing nine games since returning from injury, Kemba Walker is yet to reach his All-Star potential this season, though he appeared to be returning to form after schooling the LA Clippers guard pairing on Friday.
Walker scored 24 points and dished out 4 assists as the Boston Celtics came away with an unexpected win.
However, facing Donovan Mitchell in this fixture against the Utah Jazz will be a far more enticing prospect for Walker.
The 24-year-old is not only the Utah Jazz's leader on offense, providing 23.5 points per game, but he is also shooting at a career-high 41.6% from beyond the arc, taking 1.5 more attempts per game than last season.
Despite the Utah Jazz's impressive defensive rating this season, Mitchell's individual defensive displays continue to be a worry for fans of the franchise.
If there were to be one slight to the guard's excellent start, it would be his ability to stay aware on the defensive end.
Walker should capitalize on such weaknesses to be able to win this matchup.
#1 Jayson Tatum vs Bojan Bogdanovic
Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum will aim to outscore the Utah Jazz' three-point specialist, Bojan Bogdanovic, in Tuesday night's marquee matchup.
Tatum has carried the Boston Celtics on his back on numerous occasions this season and has had to do so again in the absence of Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. He scored 34 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 40 minutes against the LA Clippers before leading the C's with 23 points in their loss against Phoenix.
The forward is having another career-year, averaging 27 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He is a menace on both ends of the floor and is the Boston Celtics' clutch player down the stretch. His matchup with Bogdanovic will be extremely intriguing as the two players will try to outdo one another from beyond the arc.
Bogdanovic and Tatum are among the league's elite three-point shooters and are both averaging over 41% from downtown. With Tatum's superior defensive ability, fans will expect the young star to come out on top.
The Utah Jazz, however, have been benefitting from Bogdanovic's recent rise in form, with the forward averaging 23.4 points over the past 5 fixtures.