Utah Jazz vs Boston Celtics Box Score on Dec 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 15, 2017

BOSTON -- The Utah Jazz lost two starters to injury in the first half but then ended a four-game losing streak by stunning the Boston Celtics 107-95 on Friday night.

The win ended a nine-game TD Garden losing streak for the Jazz, who posted their first win on the parquet since 2008.

Utah starters Rudy Gobert (knee) and Derrick Favors (left eye laceration, six stitches) left the game, with Gobert departing before it was two minutes old. But an 0-for-18 Boston shooting drought over more than 10 minutes in the second quarter allowed the Jazz (14-15, 3-10 on the road) to take control of the game.

Ricky Rubio scored 22 points and added seven rebounds and five assists and rookie Donovan Mitchell scored eight straight points for his team late and finished with 17 points, nine assists and six rebounds.

Former Celtic Jonas Jerebko, making his return to TD Garden (and getting a hand when he entered the game), scored a season-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Rodney Hood also scored 17 points and Joe Ingles had 12 points and eight rebounds -- he was 4 of 6 from 3-point range -- for the Jazz.

Kyrie Irving scored 33 points and had six assists and four rebounds for Boston, and Al Horford, who returned from a one-game absence with a sore knee, added 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds. They were the only two Celtics in double figures.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted the early diagnosis on Gobert was a left MCL sprain. He missed 11 games earlier this season with a knee bruise and also suffered a knee injury in last year's playoffs. He was injured when Favors fell into his leg.

Favors passed the NBA concussion protocol, according to Utah coach Quin Snyder.

Boston lost Daniel Theis (broken nose) in the first half. The Celtics announced that Theis will miss their game in Memphis on Saturday and his status for Monday's game at Indianapolis is questionable.

NOTES: Celtics F Gordon Hayward, who would have played his first game against his former team if he has been healthy, met the media just prior to the game and, asked if he could return this season, said, "My mind is open to that. I'm trying to get back as fast as I can. It all depends on how I heal, and taking it day-by-day, goal-by-goal." ... Jazz F Joe Johnson, a former Celtic, returned, playing his first game since Oct. 30. "I'm just glad to be out there on the court," Johnson said before playing 15 minutes. "I didn't have an injury to my lower extremities, so it was just about getting rest and getting strength in my wrist." ... Former Celtics F Jonas Jerebko returned, saying earlier in the day, "I had three great seasons here. Playoffs every year. The fans are great. Organization's great. Good teammates, good coaches. I've got all good memories from here." ... The Jazz continue their six-game road trip at Cleveland Saturday night while the Celtics are at Memphis.