Facebook Twitter

3 keys to the Utah Jazz’s 118-117 win over the Boston Celtics

SHARE 3 keys to the Utah Jazz’s 118-117 win over the Boston Celtics
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (wearing purple) hits a 3-pointer

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) hits a 3-pointer in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

The Utah Jazz beat the Boston Celtics, 118-117, at Vivint Arena on Saturday night.

After a six-game road trip, followed by four days off, the Jazz returned home and picked up a win, improving to 34-36 on the season.

Here are three keys that contributed to the Jazz’s victory:

  • Down by one point, the Celtics had the ball with five seconds left in the game. Walker Kessler stalked Grant Williams all the way to the basket and blocked his game-winning attempt.
  • Led by Lauri Markkanen’s 28 points, the Jazz finished the night with all five starters in double-figures and some big contributions from the bench for a well-balanced box score in the win.
  • Though the Jazz have sometimes struggled with turnovers, especially lately, they only committed seven total turnovers against the Celtics and battled for offensive rebounds to create second-chance opportunities.