Boston Celtics vs Utah Jazz Prediction: Combined starting 5 featuring Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell
The Boston Celtics will finish their five-game trip against Western Conference teams with a match against the current best squad in the NBA, the Utah Jazz.
The 19-5 Jazz will host Brad Stevens' team at Vivint Smart Home Arena on February 9th as they look for their fifth straight win.
Boston Celtics vs Utah Jazz Prediction: Combined starting 5
After starting the season with a 4-4 record, the Utah Jazz now have 15 wins in their last 16 games. Their incredible streak started after a win against the Milwaukee Bucks on the road. 10 consecutive wins followed, and they have been in elite form ever since.
Quin Snyder's Utah Jazz rank fourth in Offensive Rating and third in Defensive Rating out of the 20 NBA teams.
Meanwhile, injuries, NBA health protocols and an inability to close out games have held the Boston Celtics back a bit this year.
The Celtics are 12-10 in the 2020-21 NBA season and rank fourth in the Eastern Conference behind the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks.
Donovan Mitchell clearly stands out as the Utah Jazz's best player. Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown is a key player for the Boston Celtics. However, he is day-to-day and missed the last two games due to knee issues.
In this article, we attempt to create a combined starting five featuring players from the Boston Celtics and the Utah Jazz.
Guard - Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz)
Donovan Mitchell is an essential piece for Quin Snyder's puzzle. The guard is a good scorer and a dynamic player who has shown he can lead the Utah Jazz in the biggest stages.
Mitchell is currently leading the team in scoring (23.5 PPG) and is second in assists per game (4.4).
Mitchell had a rocky start to the season offensively. However, since the Utah Jazz began their hot streak in the second week of January, the 24-year-old has been averaging 25 points per night while making 47% of his field goals and 48% of his three-pointers (in 14 games).
Guard - Jordan Clarkson (Utah Jazz)
Jordan Clarkson might be running away with the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award and is a player that the Boston Celtics should pay lots of attention to in the upcoming game.
Clarkson is a crafty scorer and provides the Utah Jazz with instant production off the bench.
Clarkson has been efficient for the Utah Jazz since he arrived last year. In the current campaign, he is averaging 17.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, two assists and a steal per game. Moreover, he is putting tremendous shooting splits of 46/39/97.