Celtics vs. Jazz just the latest Monday classic in Salt Lake City

Monday’s overtime thriller between the Celtics and Jazz was just the latest Monday night nail-biter in Salt Lake City. We remember five other instant classics that saved otherwise-quiet NBA nights.

by Jonathan Tjarks

Feb 26, 2013, 6:57 PM UTC

USA TODAY Sports

Monday nights are one of the slower nights on the NBA schedule, but not in Salt Lake City, where the league doesn’t schedule Sunday home games due to the heavy Mormon population in Utah.

Combine the lack of other high-profile games with one of the best home courts in the NBA and the Jazz have saved many a Monday night over the years for NBA League Pass watchers.

That was certainly the case this Monday, when Boston’s dramatic 110-107 OT win in Utah was the highlight of an otherwise slow night in the association.

SLC DUNK: Celtics-Jazz recap On Ty Corbin's lineups

We went through the archives over the last five years and found a few more memorable Monday night games in Salt Lake City:

April 16, 2012: Utah 123, Dallas 121 (3OT). This one had it all -- two playoff teams fighting for positioning in the last week of the season, back-and-forth drama and plenty of individual heroics. Dirk Nowitzki went for 40 and Jason Terry had 27, but it wasn't enough to overcome a balanced scoring effort from Utah, who got at least 15 from all of their starters.
December 3, 2012: LA Clippers 105, Utah 104. The first of four Jazz losses to the Clippers this season, this was the most painful. LA got out to a quick start, but strong games from two former Clippers -- Randy Foye and Mo Williams -- kept the Jazz in to the very end. After Foye hit a three-pointer with 1.2 seconds left, he stole the inbounds pass but came up just short on another three as time expired.
December 7, 2009: Utah 104, San Antonio 101. Here's where the Spurs' continuity amazes: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Matt Bonner all played big roles in this loss from four years ago. The Jazz starting 5? Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews, Ronnie Brewer, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur.
November 24, 2008: Chicago 101, Utah 100. Larry Hughes (Larry Hughes!) hit a buzzer-beating 22-foot shot to give the Bulls the victory in this blast from the past from Derrick Rose's rookie season. A couple more interesting names got serious run in this one -- Andres Nocioni, Lindsey Hunter, Brevin Knight and Morris Almond. Five years later, Hunter is the head coach of the Phoenix Suns and Knight is a TV analyst for the Memphis Grizzlies. Where does the time go?
March 14, 2011: Utah 112, Philadelphia 107 (OT). A more pleasing memory for Jazz fans, this one saw Al Jefferson carry them to the victory with a 30-point, 17-rebound effort. There was plenty of late-game drama: C.J. Miles had two point-blank shots blocked with less than 15 seconds left before a Jefferson put-back got Utah within 1. After Jodie Meeks missed one of two free throws, Miles had the opportunity to redeem himself, tying the game in the final moments of regulation.