Boston Celtics vs Utah Jazz: Injury Updates, Predicted Lineups and Starting-5s - February 9th, 2020 | NBA Season 2020-21
The red-hot Utah Jazz host the struggling Boston Celtics at Vivint Arena on Tuesday for their first meeting of the 2020-21 NBA season in what promises to be a high-octane showdown.
The visiting Boston Celtics will be disappointed after going 4-6 in their last ten outings that has led to their winning percentage dropping to .545. The Boston Celtics desperately need a couple of wins to stem the tide.
In their previous matchup, the Boston Celtics fell to the Phoenix Suns 100-91 at the end of regulation. With Jaylen Brown on the sidelines, the Celtics struggled mightily from the field, shooting a sub-par 35.5% as a unit. Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker led the charge against the Suns but could not make it count during crunch time as they registered their tenth loss of the season.
Meanwhile, the soaring Utah Jazz have been leading the Western Conference with authority. They are the proud owners of the best winning percentage (.792) in the association. Utah will enter this contest with momentum behind them after a four-game winning streak. The Utah Jazz have gone 9-1 in their last ten matchups and will aim to keep their hot-streak alive in this game.
The Utah Jazz are coming off a resounding victory over the Indiana Pacers. With Mike Conley on the sidelines, Donovan Mitchell played an extended 38 minutes and registered a near triple-double performance as he raked in 27 points to go with 11 assists and nine rebounds.
Mitchell has been the driving force behind their success this campaign and his recent form suggests that the young man is on the verge of something special this season. The Utah Jazz are singing all the right tunes this season and could pull off a major upset in the postseason and announce their arrival as the new sheriff in the West.
Celtics vs Jazz Injury updates
The Boston Celtics did not fare well with Jaylen Brown out of their lineup in their previous matchup. He has been listed as questionable to return to his floor duties for this road game. That said, there is a high probability he could suit up before tip-off. Brown has been a vital part of this Celtics unit and has averaged an impressive 26.4 points and 5.5 rebounds on an efficient 51% shooting from the floor. The Boston Celtics have not listed any new players in the injury report at this time.
Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz will continue to be without guard Mike Conley after he suffered a hamstring injury in their recent stretch. Fans can expect Donovan Mitchell to come out all guns blazing in this contest as he will once again need to do the majority of the duty offensively. With Conley out, Joe Ingles could see his number called for another start in this contest.
Celtics vs Jazz Predicted Line-ups
The Boston Celtics will be hoping to see Jaylen Brown suit-up for this enticing out-of conference matchup. Brad Stevens' backcourt will feature the dynamic duo of Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown.
Playing in the wings will be the two forwards, Jayson Tatum and Grant Williams. The Celtics' will need a big outing from Tatum to have a fighting chance against the red-hot Jazz lineup. Daniel Theis will reprise his role as the primary center on Tuesday night. Theis has proven to be one of the most durable players for the Celtics this campaign.
Quin Snyder will probably use the same lineup from their previous matchup. He could give Joe Ingles another start and bring Clarkson off the bench, where he is most effective. It will be a fun matchup for NBA fans as Donovan Mitchell reigns in as the primary guard and goes mano-a-mano with his counterpart in Kemba Walker. Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O'Neale will strive hard to keep their hot-streak alive as the two frontcourt players.
Coming in at the center position will be none other than Rudy 'The Stifle Tower' Gobert. Rudy has been a double-double machine this season, averaging an identical 13.5 points and rebounds in twenty-four games thus far. He is also one of the league leaders in blocks with an average of 2.7 stops per game.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
Boston Celtics:
G Kemba Walker, G Jaylen Brown, F Jayson Tatum, F Grant Williams, C Daniel Theis
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
Utah Jazz:
G Donovan Mitchell, G Joe Ingles, F Bojan Bogdanovic, F Royce O'Neale, C Rudy Gobert