Game preview -- Celtics vs Jazz
Saturday, February 24, 2007
The second and final game of this year's series against the Celtics. Here's a quick preview ...
What happened last time: Jazz win, 107-100, at TD Banknorth Garden. The Jazz mostly pulled away in the second and third quarters and were led by Deron Williams (26 pts, 14 ast), Carlos Boozer (24 pts, 14 reb, 4 ast) and Mehmet Okur (23 pts, 4-5 on 3-pointers). The Celtics' Paul Pierce went for 30 points and Wally Szczerbiak chipped in with 14 while Delonte West, Ryan Gomes, Kedrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo all had 10-11 points apiece.
What to expect this time: For one thing, Celtics PF Al Jefferson has gone from an afterthought in the offense (behind Pierce/Szczerbiak/Green/et al) to likely their No. 2 option on offense (behind Pierce). Jefferson is averaging 15.4 ppg and 11.6 rpg this month and has developed into a solid big man in what has been a wasted season for the Celtics. Utah likely won't have Okur tonight (and possibly Andrei Kirilenko), so that might factor into the offense. However, Deron Williams has stepped up this month (21.3 ppg) and Boozer should get more than the 12 minutes he played yesterday in Denver. If the Jazz can stick with Pierce on defense, Jefferson and the rest of the Celtics shouldn't be a problem. Keep an eye on tonight's matchup between Paul Millsap and Jefferson; it could be a preview of two young, talented big men.
Prediction: Jazz win, 105-92.
