Celtics vs. Jazz: 3 things to watch

An enormous win against the Milwaukee Bucks should have the Boston Celtics riding high heading into the second night of a back-to-back against the Utah Jazz. Furthermore, Boston is likely looking to settle the score after Utah shocked the in their last encounter.

Still, things could be difficult for the Celtics with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Payton Pritchard all listed as questionable. Robert Williams is doubtful. We know that Horford and probably Williams will sit this contest, and given Boston’s strength in numbers at the five-spot, that’s likely the right call.

However, after witnessing an utter mauling of Milwaukee, the last thing the Celtics should do is take their foot off the pedal and let their momentum dissipate before it’s even begun. Here are three things to look for in Friday night’s game.

Dealing With Size

Utah boasts some legitimate size in their frontcourt, with Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, and Walker Kessler all in their starting five. Of course, we’ve seen the Celtics face similar tasks in the past, and just yesterday, they found a way to continually pressure the rim despite the presence of Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo, so we know they’re capable of it.

Sure, Kessler is always going to be a threat when defending the rim, and he has a legitimate career as a high-end rim-protecting defender in front of him. So, it would make sense if the Celtics look to run some of their offense through their bigs above the perimeter and drag Utah’s rim protectors out of their comfort zones; then, driving lanes will open up for Boston to feast on.

Nevertheless, given the number of shot creators in the backcourt, Joe Mazzulla could also look to force a more up-tempo game to create easier, less physical routes to the rim, but after playing just 24 hours ago, that could be a risky strategy.

Don’t let 3’s dictate the outcome

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

I get it. Mazzulla likes threes, and he likes math. Yet, we don’t like seeing heads drop and body language change when the team isn’t feeling it from deep on any given night. The annoying thing about rebuilding teams is that they don’t know when to quit, especially…