It might seem natural, given that the Boston Celtics (51-23) are second in the Eastern Conference, have won their last four games, and seven of their last 10.
It’s less obvious, however, when considering who has been missing: Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. While Brown returned to the court on Monday against the Phoenix Suns, the Celtics have been making patchwork lineups work with Terry Rozier, Shane Larkin and other former role players. And for the former Celtics on the Jazz roster, that’s not surprising at all.
“No team can really speed them up or break their rhythm,” said Jae Crowder, who played for Boston for two-and-a-half seasons.