The Boston Celtics continue their two-week road trip with a stop at Salt Lake City against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. However, they’ll be shorthanded.
Coming off back-to-back wins and fighting in a race for the Eastern Conference crown, the Celtics took care of business Friday night in a 126-112 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Boston remains in search of a momentum shift during what’s been an overall mediocre road trip against subpar competition.
Suffering a hard-to-watch loss against the Houston Rockets, coupled with barely escaping the Minnesota Timberwolves, the C’s are up for yet another challenge. When they take the floor at Vivinit Arena, the Celtics will do so without Marcus Smart and Al Horford, per team announcement Saturday.
Smart is sidelined with a left hip contusion while Horford is out due to low back stiffness. Both veterans raised Boston’s injury list total to four, not including Danilo Gallinari, who’s missed the entire season thus far.
Joe Mazzulla and the remaining healthy core will look to weather the storm in search of a third consecutive victory without two day-to-day starters.
The Celtics and Jazz are set to tip off at 9 p.m. ET.
