Currently: - Game info: 9:00 pm EST Mon Dec 8, 2003
- TV: FSNE
The Boston Celtics haven’t had much to show for recent visits to the Delta Center.
The Celtics will try for just their second win in Utah in 14 years when they conclude their road trip with a game against the Jazz.
Boston has dropped its last three visits to the Delta Center and 10 of the last 11 dating to 1989. The Celtics’ lone win over that span was a 101-99 victory in February 2000.
Yet a win in Utah would give the Celtics a sweep of their mini road trip. Paul Pierce had 33 points and 10 assists and Eric Williams added a season-high 21 points to lead Boston to a 116-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
Pierce shot 12-of-22 from the field and had seven rebounds to help Boston end a four-game losing streak.
With Antoine Walker traded in the offseason to Dallas, Pierce has been forced to carry the Celtics offensively.
Despite shooting just 41.2 percent from the floor, the All-Star guard is averaging a team-high 23.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and a career-high 5.8 assists per game. His overall problems from the perimeter have not extended to 3-point range or the free-throw line as he’s shooting 36.8 percent and a career-high 84.9 percent, respectively.
Utah, which has lost two of three, is looking to get back on track following a disheartening 94-92 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Rookie Maurice Williams scored 12 of his career-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. DeShawn Stevenson added 13 points and rookie Sasha Pavlovic scored 12 for the Jazz, who trailed by as many as 21 in the third quarter.
The loss was just the fourth in 11 games for Utah, which has won just once this season on the road. The Jazz have been nearly flawless at home, going 10-1 with their lone loss coming against the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 19.
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