Celtics get back in win column with big second half vs. Jazz

The Boston Celtics continued their West coast road trip on Tuesday, looking to bounce back from their loss in Portland on Sunday, and out for revenge against the Utah Jazz. It was a high-scoring affair for both teams, which is the norm in Salt Lake City, but the Celtics defense, especially from Derrick White, was ultimately the key for the victory.

After a slow start for both Derrick White and Jaylen Brown in the first half, the two were able to turn it on, including White, who was without a doubt the most important player of the game. White finished the night with 27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and a career-high 7 blocks, showing his special ability as one of the team’s most valuable and efficient players on both ends of the court.

Here’s a quick recap of the Celtics 10-point win over the Jazz on Tuesday night:

Final score: Boston Celtics 129, Utah Jazz 119

Keys to the game:

Second half surge: Scoring 59 points in the first half, Boston came out well in the second and put up a total of points in the second half. The Celtics were carried by White and Brown who had timely buckets throughout, and the aforementioned defense by White who had 7 of the team’s 9 defensive blocks. Utah kept the game close throughout the first three quarters, but when they needed their stars, Boston was able to rely on them and see them pull out the victory.

Points in the paint: In their first meeting this season in which Utah got the win, Boston was dominated on the offensive side of the glass, giving the Jazz plenty of second chance opportunities. Even with Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic down low in the paint, the Celtics outscored the Jazz 56-46 in points in the paint, which is a good sign for them as they struggled in shooting 30% from 3-point range.

Turnovers: Along with the 9 blocks from their team, the Celtics defense was all over the young Jazz team, forcing 13 turnovers, 8 of which came off of steals. Between the blocks and steals, Boston was all over the court on Tuesday night and making it uncomfortable for the Jazz is ultimately what helped carried them to pull away in the final minutes.

Highlight of the game: Derrick White sets team record with 7th block

What’s next: @ Sacramento Kings, January 1, 10:00PM ET

This will be the first of two matchups this season between two franchises going in opposite directions during the 2025 season. The Celtics, even without Jayson Tatum, find themselves right in the mix at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, while the Sacramento Kings, coming into December 30, have just 8 victories on the year. Predominately led by veterans DeMarr DeRozan and Russell Westbrook, the Kings have a wide gap in the experience factor on their roster. Boston will look to start another winning streak and start the 2026 calendar year on a high note.