After a tough loss on the road their last time out, the Celtics look much better today on their home court. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Jazz 30-15.
If the Celtics keep playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 27-7 in no time. On the other hand, the Jazz will have to make due with a 16-20 record unless they turn things around.
Who’s Playing
Utah Jazz @ Boston Celtics
Current Records: Utah 16-19, Boston 26-7
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How To Watch
When: Friday, January 5, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: TD Garden — Boston, Massachusetts
TV: KJZZ-TV 14
Follow: CBS Sports App
Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
Ticket Cost: $117.31
What to Know
The Jazz have enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Boston Celtics at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday at TD Garden. The Jazz have been getting the ball to fall more lately as they’ve increased their point totals each of their last three games.
The Jazz scored the most points they’ve had all season to find success on Wednesday. They secured a 154-148 W over Detroit. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.
The Jazz’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jordan Clarkson led the charge by scoring 36 points along with six rebounds. Lauri Markkanen was another key contributor, scoring 31 points along with seven rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Celtics unfortunately witnessed the end of their six-game winning streak on Tuesday. They took a 127-123 hit to the loss column at the hands of Oklahoma City. The Celtics didn’t live up to their potential and found themselves falling short of the advantage oddsmakers thought they had coming into the game.
Despite the defeat, the Celtics had strong showings from Kristaps Porzingis, who dropped a double-double on 34 points and ten rebounds, and Jayson Tatum, who dropped a double-double on 30 points and 13 rebounds. Less helpful for the Celtics was Jaylen Brown’s abysmal 0-8 three-point shooting.
Utah’s win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-19. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 128.0 points per game. As for Boston, their defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 26-7.
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This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Jazz have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 46.1 rebounds per game (they’re ranked fourth in rebounds per game overall). However, it’s not like the Celtics (currently ranked first in rebounds per game) struggle in that department as they’ve been averaging 47.3 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Jazz must know they’re fighting an uphill battle given the 14-point spread they’re up against. They might be worth a quick bet since they’re sitting on a five game streak of covering the spread when playing as the underdog.
Odds
Boston is a big 14-point favorite against Utah, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 14-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is set at 239.5 points.
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See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Utah has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Boston.
An inbound stretch of Storrow Drive and Soldiers Field Road will be closed each night through August for tunnel repairs, officials announced.
Starting Monday, the closures will begin at 8 p.m. and last until 5 a.m., state officials said.
Road closures begin at North Harvard Street in Allston and stretch along the Charles River Esplanade to Mugar Way in Boston, near the Hatch Memorial Shell, officials said.
Traffic will be detoured into Cambridge over the Anderson Bridge, along Memorial Drive, and then be routed into Boston over the Longfellow Bridge.
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The closures will allow ongoing repairs to the Storrow Drive Tunnel in the Back Bay.The work is the first phase of a two-stage project to extend the lifespan of the tunnel, which carries roughly 50,000 drivers to and from downtown Boston daily.
The outbound portion of the tunnel and accompanying roadways will not be affected.
State transportation officials said changes to the work schedule will be made when necessary to minimize impacts during major local events at TD Garden, Fenway Park, or during the FIFA World Cup and 250th anniversary celebrations scheduled for this summer.
Additional changes may be made without notice due to weather.
Transportation officials have not specified when the closures will end.
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Bryan Hecht can be reached at bryan.hecht@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @bhechtjournalism.
OXFORD — Ole Miss softball is back in the NCAA Tournament after making the Women’s College World Series a season ago.
The Rebels (34-24) will play Boston (46-13) on May 15 (1 p.m. CT, ESPNU) in the Lubbock Regional. Ole Miss is the No. 2 seed in the regional, and Boston is the No. 3.
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Texas Tech (52-6), the No. 11 overall seed and regional host, will face No. 4 Marist (37-19).
The Rebels went 6-18 in SEC play this season, and have a largely new-look roster from the team that made the WCWS last season.
Ole Miss beat South Carolina and Tennessee in the SEC Tournament to improve its seed.
Freshman Madi George has burst onto the scene in the SEC. The first-year infielder leads Ole Miss with a .385 batting average. She has a team-high 21 home runs and 58 RBIs.
Seniors Emilee Boyer (3.86 ERA), Kyra Aycock (3.97 ERA) and junior Lily Whitten (3.04 ERA) are the primary options in the circle for coach Jamie Trachsel.
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Trachsel is in her sixth season leading the Ole Miss program. She led the Rebels to their first WCWS appearance in program history in 2025.
What to know about Boston, Texas Tech and Marist in Lubbock Regional
Boston entered the Patriot League Tournament as the top seed and the Terriers delivered. Boston beat No. 2 Colgate 12-1, becoming the second team in Patriot League history to four-peat as conference champions. Boston is on a 12-game winning streak. Kylie Doherty leads the team with a .396 batting average and 26 home runs.
Texas Tech made the 2025 WCWS championship series, losing to Texas in three games.
Texas Tech lost just three Big 12 games this season but lost in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. The Red Raiders are a strong threat to get to the WCWS again. There are four Texas Tech batters hitting over .400. Star pitcher NiJaree Canady leads the Red Raiders with a 1.24 ERA. She has 209 strikeouts.
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Marist plays in the MAAC and won the conference tournament. Marist split a two-game series against South Carolina early in the season. Ava Metzger (12-3, 2.51 ERA) and Peyton Pusey (.404 batting average) lead the team.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
Attendees held umbrellas as The Bends performed at Mojo Boston on Saturday.Andrew Burke-Stevenson/for The Boston Globe
Mojo, a music brand and concert organizer, was founded in 2021 by Charley Blacker, Alex Parker, and Emily Donovan while they were students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The trio of friends decided to create Mojo out of their shared love for music and house shows.
“We saw there were so many local musicians that were so talented, but they didn’t have the platform we thought they really deserved,” Blacker told the Globe during Saturday’s festivities. “So we thought if we could do the behind-the-scenes work of organizing photographers and [provide] a social media platform, we could give these musicians the platform they deserve.”
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Attendees danced as The Bends performed at Mojo Boston on Saturday.Andrew Burke-Stevenson/for The Boston Globe
Five years later, the team behind Mojo is sticking to their mission, tackling their biggest venue yet with this weekend’s event at City Hall Plaza, which previously served as the original location for Boston Calling before it moved to the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston. Boston Calling announced last year that it is taking a one-year hiatus in 2026, with plans to return in 2027.
In addition to getting the chance to work on such a big event with his best friends, Blacker hopes Mojo Boston can help “lead to a lot more opportunities for local music.”
People browsed food vendors at Mojo Boston on Saturday.Andrew Burke-Stevenson/for The Boston Globe
There was a wide range of genres represented at Saturday’s event, from the pop-rock stylings of The Bends to house and garage music from DJ AC Slater. Prior to the Boston debut, Mojo brought a festival to Pennsylvania’s Happy Valley in April and returned to Amherst later that month to host another event.
Mojo Boston attendees and former UMass Amherst students Emily Bowler and Max Debeau have been familiar with Mojo since its inception, watching the organization go from hosting basement shows to full scale music festivals. Debeau noted how many of the acts at Saturday’s event have worked with Mojo in the past, performing at UMass and other shows around the Bay State.
“To see it all come together has been great,” Debeau said. “This is the stage that they all deserve.”
“It’s crazy how quickly they were able to erect something so amazing,” Bowler added.
Amanda Giroux danced away from the stage while The Bends performed at Mojo Boston on Saturday.Andrew Burke-Stevenson/for The Boston Globe
Formed in New Bedford, the band Autumn Drive was one of 18 acts that performed at Mojo Boston, and they are no strangers to a Mojo show.
“We’ve done, I think, every single Mojo that there is, so we’re very tight with them,” said guitarist and singer Charlie Gamache. “When we found out they were doing a big festival [in Boston], I was like, ‘We want in no matter what.’”
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The band emphasized how much their relationship with Mojo has meant to them over the years, with Autumn Drive drummer Joe Gauvin praising the organization for “always putting us in front of a crowd that’s there to see music and hear us.”
Michael Asulin, of Stoughton, and Jackie Ludicke, of Miami, Fla., talked while wearing ponchos at Mojo Boston on Saturday.Andrew Burke-Stevenson/for The Boston Globe
From a makeshift stage out of wooden pallets in his basement to Boston’s City Hall Plaza, Blacker is is proud of Mojo’s success and is already looking ahead at what’s to come.
“This is really just the start of it all,” said Blacker. “We have very lofty ambitions and goals, and we have nothing but confidence in our ability to accomplish everything we set out to do.”
Gitana Savage can be reached at gitana.savage@globe.com. Follow her on X @gitana_savage.
