The Boston Celtics travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena on Friday.

The Celtics (12-10) got off to a rough start this season, but five wins in their last seven games have cured some of their blues. The most recent win on Wednesday was one of the most impressive of the season, beating the Philadelphia 76ers, 88-87. The 87 points allowed is a truly impressive mark, and this club ranks Top-5 in defensive efficiency ratings since the opening two weeks of the season. They held Joel Embiid to 13 points on 3-of-17 from the field in that victory, getting a game-clinching block from Robert Williams at the buzzer. All the success from the old school Celtics teams came from their defense, and it looks like that's going to be the recipe for this new-look group, too.

The Jazz (14-7) come into this matchup winning six of their last eight games, winning five of those by double-digit margins. That's the cub we expected to see at the beginning of the season, with the Jazz leading the NBA in wins last season. The simple fact is, this is one of the best all-around teams in the league. They actually rank Top-5 in both points scored and defensive efficiency. The Golden State Warriors are the only other club that can claim that, and it's a good indicator of how good this team can be. The most underrated asset is Rudy Gobert, though. He's always one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year, and it's incredible how much value the Frenchman provides on that end of the floor.

These teams played twice last season, with Utah sweeping the season series. The Jazz have won five of their last six games over the Celtics, dating back three years.