Jayson Tatum registered 30 points, nine rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal as the Celtics improved to 17-0 at TD Garden this season,tying a franchise record.
The Boston Celtics improved to 17-0 at TD Garden this season, matching a franchise record set in 1957-58 for their best start at home in a campaign.
They did so with a 127-95 win over the Utah Jazz, registering at least 120 points for the ninth-straight game.
Fueling that win was a stifling defense, with the hosts playing on a string to limit their guests to 6/28 shooting from beyond the arc and 13 turnovers through three quarters.
That allowed Boston to make its living in transition and consistently operate up-tempo offensively.
And with Jayson Tatum attacking downhill with force and uncorking one three after another off the dribble, Utah’s chances of winning evaporated quickly.
The four-time All-Star stuffed the stat sheet with 30 points, nine rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal. It was one of his most complete performances this season.
Here’s a deep dive into that and what else stood out as Boston improved its NBA-best record to 27-7.
1. The Celtics didn’t let two days off leading into Friday night’s matchup lead to rust. They were sharp from the opening tip, including back-to-back blocks by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
They played with considerable energy throughout the period, limiting the Jazz to 15 points while putting 30 on the board.
That’s the fewest Boston’s allowed in a quarter this season.
2. Helping the cause was a pair of Tommy Points from Oshae Brissett and Sam Hauser, respectively, diving onto the floor to retrieve the rock and fuel transition opportunities.
When Brissett did so, it led to a lob for Hauser, finishing above the rim for two of his eight points, the most any individual scored in the first frame.
That comes on the heels of the franchise’s president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, saying the team would like to add a big wing but believes it can solve this search internally.
3. A lineup featuring Payton Pritchard, Jrue Holiday, Hauser, Jayson Tatum, and Luke Kornet played on a string defensively, including on a sequence where Pritchard perfectly timed joining Kornet to double team Jordan Clarkson in the corner, and Tatum rotated to intercept the skip pass before cruising in for a one-handed flush.
The hosts limited the Jazz to 30.6 percent shooting in the first 24 minutes, including a frigid 4/20 (20 percent) from three-point range. Their energy, synergy, and attention to detail stifled the visitors’ offense and fueled their transition attack.
The C’s had a 21-2 edge in fast-break scoring at intermission. They also parlayed nine Utah turnovers into 17 points.
. With Boston protecting the perimeter, limiting the Jazz to 1/6 (16.7 percent) from beyond the arc for nearly the first ten minutes of the third quarter. They finished the period 2/8 from long distance.
At the other end, the hosts only committed three turnovers, another crucial factor in protecting a lead that mushroomed to 107-75 entering the final frame.
The three-time All-NBA selection delivered one of his most complete performances of the season, though the opposition didn’t provide much resistance.
He stuffed the stat sheet with 30 points on 6/12 shooting, made 5/8 threes, went 13/14 at the free-throw line, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out five assists, had a block and a steal, and only committed one turnover. He did all of that in 25 minutes.
