SALT LAKE CITY – Keyonte George scored 31 points and Jusuf Nurkic hit a game-winning shot in the final second to lift the Utah Jazz to a dramatic win over the Boston Celtics—their first road victory of the season.
The performance marked a sharp turnaround from the Jazz’s first two games of their five-city road trip, which ended in 22- and 23-point losses.
Related: Isaiah Collier rejoins Jazz in Boston
Nurkic Delivers in Clutch Against Celtics
With Walker Kessler sidelined after returning to Utah for further testing on his injured left shoulder, the Jazz started Nurkic for the second straight night.
Now in his 12th season, Nurkic faced a heavy workload, logging over 30 minutes—a tall order for the veteran big man. But he delivered when it mattered most.
With the game tied at 103 and just 24 seconds remaining, George tried to snap the Jazz’s three-game losing streak. His fallaway baseline jumper missed, but Nurkic grabbed the offensive rebound over Celtics center Neemias Queta and sank a turnaround hook shot with 0.6 seconds left.
NURK BUCKET FOR THE WIN🤩#TakeNote | @bosnianbeast27 pic.twitter.com/FRH6bhBESX
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 4, 2025
“I was just trying to play the right way,” Nurkic said. “Some of the offensive boards I didn’t get, I felt like I was fouled, so I was just sticking with the plan.”
Nurkic finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. Though he struggled at times on defense, he made a critical impact when the Jazz needed it most.
Keyonte George Shines Amid Breakout Season
While Nurkic sealed the win, George carried the Jazz throughout the night.
After Utah scored just 36 points in the first half, George sparked a 38-point third quarter, scoring 16 points and handing out three assists on 5-of-6 shooting.
With the Jazz trailing by 10 at halftime and needing a jolt, George repeatedly attacked the paint, overpowering more experienced Celtics defenders and finishing at the rim.
Through seven games, Keyonte George is averaging 23.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 8.1 assists.pic.twitter.com/WSOlHEbEKB
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 4, 2025
He also led the Jazz defensively, helping hold All-Star Derrick White to 10 points on just 3-of-9 shooting.
In total, George played nearly 38 minutes and posted a season-high 31 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He shot 9-of-16 from the field, 2-of-5 from three, and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line.
Through seven games, George is averaging 23.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 8.1 assists.
Jazz Bench Steps Up After Rotation Shake-Up
Head coach Will Hardy made two significant changes to the rotation over the last two games.
Against Charlotte, he replaced Kyle Filipowski with the more athletic Taylor Hendricks in the starting lineup. In Boston, Hardy removed Brice Sensabaugh from the rotation entirely, opting instead for two-way guard Elijah Harkless.
Though the moves may have seemed like a gamble, Hardy found a winning formula.
Filipowski, Harkless, and rookies Ace Bailey and Walt Clayton Jr. all delivered their best performances of the season. Each finished with a positive plus-minus and helped keep the Jazz competitive when the starters rested.
felt that, Flip 🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/8iTKyNArQA
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 4, 2025
“Flip was probably the X factor for our team tonight, he made some really big plays,” Hardy said. “I thought EJ’s energy continues to be infectious every time he takes the floor. He competes hard on the ball and really stirs up our group on that end of the floor.”
Filipowski tallied 13 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. Bailey added four points and two rebounds in 18 minutes, while Clayton Jr. contributed seven points, six assists, three rebounds, and two steals in 15 minutes.
Hardy will likely continue to tweak the rotation throughout the season, but after a tough stretch, he pushed the right buttons in Boston.
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
The Jazz will travel to face the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday at 5 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone . Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.