BOSTON — Donovan Mitchell had beat himself up following Utah’s loss to the 76ers on Friday night — a game where he scored 31 points but hoisted up 35 shots and didn’t record an assist.

“That isn’t me,” Mitchell said.

He wasn't the only one to criticize his play, but his coach didn't. Quin Snyder stood up for his player before Saturday's game against the Boston Celtics, saying that if the team would have made some shots, Mitchell would have had some assists. And if the second-year guard is hesitant to shoot, then it would be far more selfish than him shooting it too much.

Mitchell rewarded that type of faith in Utah’s 98-86 win over the Celtics Saturday.

In the second quarter, Mitchell went at Boston’s Kyrie Irving. He dribbled from his right to left, crossing over Irving and leaving him behind on his way to the basket. The Boston All-Star tried to recover but it was too late. Mitchell got to the hoop and scooped in a layup with Irving making it worse for Boston by committing a foul on the shot.

That was just one of the many highlight plays for Mitchell on Saturday. He didn’t shoot 35 times, but with the way he was torching the Celtics defense, Mitchell likely wouldn’t have been criticized if he did.

Mitchell scored 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting, nailing five 3-pointers and scoring from just about everywhere else. Running floaters off the glass, pullup mid-range shots, crafty drives for layups — Mitchell did it all.

But it wasn’t just scoring that made his offensive game so effective. Mitchell helped get the Jazz’s ball movement going, finishing with six assists, and was part of the Jazz guards attack on the Celtics bigs when they switched.

Ricky Rubio, Dante Exum and Mitchell all had effective nights against the switches. Rubio ended the game with 20 points and Exum tallied 10 points and seven rebounds.

“Shooting is one of those things you can’t always control,” Snyder said. “I think we did a good job of attacking the switches. We have seen a lot more of that. And like any defense, you get more comfortable against it.”

It was an improvement over past games, but the Jazz still didn’t have a standout night offensively. They shot 45 percent from the field and connected on only 29 percent of their 3-point tries. The problems from the foul line also continued, with Utah missing ten freebies in Boston.

But that just showed the criticism of Mitchell’s 35-shot night was short-sighted. The Jazz need him to score; they need him to shoot. And when he is on, he changes who the Jazz are and who they can be.

"He was unselfish tonight," Snyder said.

And, as Snyder eluded to before the game, that meant he wasn't just passing, but he was shooting, too.

Mitchell said he used some of the criticism he faced since the Philly game to fuel him against Boston. And he believes it will motivate him long down the road, too.

"I’m not going to forget what happened," Mitchell said. "I’m not going to forget (Friday). I’m going to allow it to continue to push me.”

Special on and off the court

While Mitchell had one of his best games of the season in Boston, he had already cemented a successful evening before the contest ever began.

Before the game, a young Celtics fan was courtside wearing Mitchell’s prep jersey from Brewster Academy.

He was looking for a signature; Mitchell did him one better.

The Jazz star brought the youngster out on the court and let him rebound for him as he shot free throws. Mitchell then signed the jersey for the young boy and posed for pictures with him.

And finally…

It was like something out of many Jazz fans’ dreams.

In the fourth quarter, former Jazzman Gordon Hayward was streaking in from the left side for what looked to be a fast-break dunk.

Mitchell was having none of it.

The Jazz guard jumped behind Hayward and swatted the ball out of Hayward's grasp.

“That was a big play,” Rudy Gobert said. “That was the game that kind of sealed the game for us. He can do it. I want to see more of it.”

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