Jazz-Celtics Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Mar 27 2012 4:35PM

After a tough start to their three-game road trip, the surely exhausted Utah Jazz got back on track their last time out.

Continuing their postseason push, however, could prove difficult with a visit to Boston up next.

Coming off a much-needed day off, the surging Jazz conclude their road swing Wednesday night against a Celtics team that's controlled this series at home.

Utah (27-23) has averaged 109.0 points in winning seven of eight to move into the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture. Its only loss over that stretch came in the opener of this trip Sunday, 139-133 to Atlanta in the NBA's first quadruple-overtime game since 1997.

Despite having little time to recuperate, the Jazz bounced back the following night, shooting 51.9 percent from the floor while outscoring New Jersey 58-44 in the paint during a 105-84 victory.

Utah, which led by as many as 22 points in the third quarter, saw its advantage cut to three early in the fourth before using an 18-4 run to pull away.

"(Sunday's) game was tough, but we lost and it left a bad taste in my mouth," said center Al Jefferson, who had 19 points and eight rebounds. "The way we could get over that game was to come and win this one, and I think that's what we did.

"This will show you how well we are playing now, to bounce back from (Sunday) night and when (the Nets) made their run and cut it to three, we still stayed on what we were doing and took over the game. That shows you how much we have grown as a team."

Paul Millsap had team highs of 24 points and 13 boards for the Jazz, whose next challenge is to snap their recent woes at Boston.

The Celtics (27-22) have won eight of 11 in the series at home, taking the last three by an average of 17.3 points. Boston has also won three of four against the Jazz overall, including 107-102 in Utah on Feb. 28, 2011, in the most recent matchup.

Winners of a season-high six straight at home, the Celtics are coming off their fourth win in five games, 102-95 at Charlotte on Monday. Boston outscored the NBA-worst Bobcats 33-15 in the first quarter but took just a two-point lead into halftime.

"If we're a quote-unquote defensive team then we have to be better than that," coach Doc Rivers said.

"For us, we have to keep plugging along and keep playing. It is important, but we've still got some games left. Since the All-Star break we haven't played well every night but we're winning some of the games where we don't play well."

With Ray Allen out again due to a sore right ankle, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett picked up the slack. Pierce had a season-high 36 points and 10 rebounds, while Garnett scored 24.

"I think I've been feeling that way for the past couple of weeks now as far as needing to be more aggressive when I have the opportunities within the flow of the offense," said Pierce, averaging 25.5 points on 55.6 percent shooting over the last four games.

Allen, whose career average of 23.9 points versus Utah is tied for his highest mark against any opponent, could return following a three-game absence.

Garnett powers Celtics to 94-82 win over Jazz

By JIMMY GOLEN
Posted Mar 28 2012 10:51PM

BOSTON (AP) Kevin Garnett found Keyon Dooling for a 3-pointer. Then the Boston big man hit a fallaway jumper of his own. Back at the other end, Garnett grabbed a rebound to start a fast break that ended with Avery Bradley at the free throw line.

Just like that, the Celtics broke open a tie game and took a seven-point lead they never relinquished.

Garnett had 23 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday night to lead Boston to a 94-82 victory over the Utah Jazz and move the Celtics back into a tie for first place in the Atlantic Division. Garnett had 10 points and three assists in the fourth quarter, when Boston recovered after blowing an 18-point lead.

"He's been playing like that a lot in the second half of the season," said Celtics swingman Paul Pierce, who scored 20 points. "We've been going to him a lot out there. And he's been inspiring on both ends of the floor."

Brandon Bass scored 19 points, and Rajon Rondo had 14 assists for Boston, which won for the fifth time in six tries to move into a tie with the Philadelphia 76ers atop the Atlantic Division. After playing at Minnesota on Friday night, the Celtics play seven games in 11 nights against likely playoff teams.

"We kind of smell the end of the season, with the playoffs coming," Pierce said. "This is the time of year you've got to step it up and get ready."

Former Celtic Al Jefferson had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz, scoring 10 in a 17-3, third-quarter run that turned an 18-point deficit into a two-possession game. The Jazz tied it early in the fourth before Boston scored the next seven points - with Garnett contributing on all of them - to pull away.

"He's just so experienced and such a competitor," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "He's going to do whatever he can do to help his team win. He did it on both ends of the floor tonight. He made the big shots; defensively, he fought and clawed."

Garnett and Jefferson, who were traded for each other in the 2007 deal that created the New Big 3 in Boston, had a physical matchup all game, picking up matching technicals with 6 minutes left in the game. Even in the final seconds, with the outcome already settled, Garnett wouldn't let Jefferson put up a show.

"Just another game," Jefferson said. "That's all I'm going to say about that."

Utah had won seven of its previous eight games.

Gordon Hayward scored 19 points, and Paul Millsap had 16 for the Jazz, who fell into a three-way tie with Denver and Houston in a race for the last two playoff spots in the Western Conference.

"Any time you have to battle from 18 points down, then you basically have to start over again," said Hayward, who had back-to-back blocks in the fourth as the Jazz keep the game within reach.

"That's definitely something we've shown on this road trip. We have fight. We're never going to give up. The heart on this team is great. We've just got to be a little bit better in the first half and not get down so we don't have to fight back like that."

The Celtics took a 44-29 lead with 2:22 left in the half on consecutive alley-oops from Rondo to Ryan Hollins. Boston opened an 18-point lead, 61-43, with 7:40 to play in the third quarter.

But the Jazz scored 17 of the next 20 points - 10 of them from Jefferson - to make it a four-point game. They then ran off six in a row to tie it 66-all, scoring the first five of the fourth quarter on Enes Kanter's jumper and a three-point play by Alec Burks.

That's when the Celtics snapped out of their slump.

After Garnett put up an assist, basket and rebound in quick succession, Bradley hit a pair of free throws that 73-66.

The Jazz never got closer than three points after that.

Notes: Ray Allen missed his fourth consecutive game with a sore right ankle ... Celtics F Chris Wilcox is scheduled to have surgery for an enlarged aorta on Thursday. ... Pierce made seven free throws to give him 6,041 in his career and pass David Robinson for 15th place on the NBA's career list for free throws made. Next up: Wilt Chamberlain at 6,057. ... Jefferson and Garnett drew matching technical fouls with 6 minutes left. ... Jefferson was 1 for 8 from the floor in the first half.

Notebook: Celtics 94, Jazz 82

Posted Wednesday March 28, 2012 11:50PM

By Brian Robb, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Kevin Garnett had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Boston Celtics recovered after squandering a 18-point second half lead to defeat the Utah Jazz 94-82 at the TD Garden. The victory was the C's third straight win in a game that the hosts appeared to have under complete command early in the second half, as they built up a comfortable cushion. The Jazz fought back valiantly however, using a 23-5 run to tie the game back up with just over 11 minutes remaining before Garnett and company regained control. Paul Pierce added 20 points and six rebounds for the victors, as the C's jumped back into a tie for the Atlantic Division lead with Philadelphia after the win. Gordon Hayward had 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the setback, as the Jazz dropped to 8-18 on the road.

QUOTABLE: "He's been playing like that a lot since the second half of the season and we've been going to him a lot more. He really is inspiring to his teammates when he's got it going like that on both ends of the court and we kind of feed off his energy."
-- Pierce on Garnett's play.

THE STAT: After being dominated on the boards for the first three quarters 42-25, the Celtics turned the tide late, winning the rebounding battle 13-7 in the final frame, neutralizing Utah's biggest strength as they pulled away for the win.

TURNING POINT: With the Jazz trailing by three with just over eight minutes remaining, the Boston bench stepped up in a big way with back-to-back jumpers from Keyon Dooling and Sasha Pavlovic, pushing the lead to eight while the majority of the starters rested. The C's maintained the sizable spread the rest of the way.

HOT: Garnett. The 35-year-old showed some spring in his step in the second half against the young Jazz front line, pouring in 16 of his 23 points after the intermission on 7-of-9 shooting.

NOT: C.J. Miles. Utah's backcourt struggled mightily on the offensive end, and Miles was a main culprit. He missed nine of his ten shots, including all five he took in the second half. He finished with three points, tying his lowest scoring output as a starter this season.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Rajon Rondo. The All-Star point guard finished with 14 assists and has been masterful at distributing the ball lately, tallying 11 straight games with double-digit assists. Over the month of March, he has averaged 12.5 assists.

NOTABLE: Ray Allen sat out his fourth straight game with a right ankle injury. Rivers is hopeful he will be able to play Friday night against Minnesota. Avery Bradley started his third straight game for Allen and played a career-high 43 minutes. The C's had no update on the condition of Mickael Pietrus who is out indefinitely due to a concussion suffered last Friday against Philadelphia. Despite 17 offensive rebounds, Utah managed just 7 second chance points. The Jazz had 11 turnovers in the first half, compared to just two for Boston. The C's finished with 11 turnovers, four below their season average. Garnett and Al Jefferson were whistled for double technicals after a brief scuffle in the fourth quarter. Jefferson scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half. Boston has now won seven straight games at home.

UP NEXT: For the Jazz, Friday vs. Sacramento, Saturday @ LA Lakers, Monday @ Portland. For the Celtics, Friday @ Minnesota, Sunday vs. Miami, Wednesday vs. San Antonio.

• Jazz: Bell, Howard
• Celtics: O'Neal, Pietrus

• Jazz: Harris, Jefferson
• Celtics: Garnett

• Lead Changes: 4
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• Officials: #32 Eddie F. Rush, #47 Bennie Adams, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 18624
• Duration: 2:04