The Boston Celtics (19-12) and Utah Jazz (12-19) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 9:00 p.m. ET from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The game will broadcast live on NBCS-BOS.
The Celtics are 8.5-point favorites over the Jazz on the spread (Celtics -8.5), with the over/under set at 240.5 total points. Boston is a -298 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Utah is +240 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Celtics vs. Jazz predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, December 30.
Celtics vs Jazz Prediction, Picks
- Celtics vs Jazz pick: Hugo Gonzalez Over 4.5 Rebounds (+104)
My Jazz vs Celtics best bet is on Hugo Gonzalez to record over 4.5 rebounds, with the best price currently available at DraftKings. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Celtics vs Jazz Odds
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -105 | 240.5 -115o / -105u | -298 |
| Jazz Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -115 | 240.5 -115o / -105u | +240 |
Celtics vs Jazz NBA Preview
The Jazz aren't that bad! And neither are the Celtics, who actually might be quite good!
These are two teams punching well above preseason expectations, especially in the case of Boston, who looks to be one major acquisition away from being legitimately competitive with the top dogs in the Eastern Conference.
Maybe it's a healthy Jayson Tatum, but that's a lot to expect inside of a year off the Achilles.
Still, would Boston having a frisky trade deadline be that shocking? And for Utah, are they finally too good to tank?
Both teams, at much different levels, have seemingly found something, making for an interesting clash in a muted slate of games.
Injury-wise, Tatum (Achilles) will remain out, and Chris Boucher (personal) will also sit out on Tuesday.
For Utah, Georges Niang (foot), Ace Bailey (hip), Kevin Love (rest), and Walker Kessler (season-ending shoulder injury) are all out. Keyonte George (illness) is questionable.
Celtics vs Jazz Prediction, Betting Analysis
I've been on the Hugo Gonzalez bandwagon since he played on the Spanish national team in EuroBasket qualifiers this past February.
Before that, he hadn't yet been on the senior team, and he never saw a ton of playing time in Real Madrid — a EuroLeague mainstay — making him a difficult pre-draft evaluation. But something was clearly there, and he needed the right environment to develop in.
He's not your standard, offensively fluid, creative, nice and smooth Spanish prospect, like Pau Gasol.
This is different. Gonzalez is a ball of energy who might become one of the league's better defensive players before too long. And lately, he's been earning more minutes as a result of his general activity and progression.
He's at plus money to get at least five rebounds? This amid a stretch where he's gone over 4.5 boards in five of six games? And this while his minutes are up to 27.2 minutes per game, as Jordan Walsh's decline? Sure, sign me up.
Pick: Hugo Gonzalez Over 4.5 Rebounds (+104)
