Perhaps the best news of Thursday's doubleheader on TNT, with the Boston at Utah game as the nightcap, is the return of Charles Barkley to the TNT studio. Barkley took a six-week sabbatical from the show after his drunken-driving arrest Dec. 31 in Scottsdale. According to the Nielsen numbers, ratings dropped about 38 percent during the time Barkley was out.

OK, now that we have that out of the way, let's look at what should be the better game of the two tonight: Celtics at Jazz. Utah is always one of the NBA's top teams at home, while Boston leads the league with 20 road wins.

There had been talk that Jazz forward Carlos Boozer would attempt to return tonight after missing 42 consecutive games because of knee surgery, but the team has ruled him out. Utah center Mehmet Okur is expected to play after missing Tuesday's win over Memphis with flu-like symptoms. Swingman Andrei Kirilenko returned to the lineup against the Grizzlies after missing 11 games following ankle surgery and had 14 points in 18 minutes.

Boston lost backup guard Tony Allen for two months earlier this week due to thumb surgery. He was averaging 7.8 points and 1.25 steals in 19.1 minutes per game. The Celtics are looking to acquire a guard and/or veteran big man before today's trade deadline. If there is no deal, Gabe Pruitt is expected to see more action in Allen's absence, and backup center/forward Brian Scalabrine will return to action tonight after missing three weeks with a concussion.

East-leading Boston has won 15 of its last 17 games (8-2 ATS in the past 10), with the only losses coming against the two best teams in the Western Conference, the Lakers and Spurs. The Celtics have won nine straight road games (8-1 ATS), and this is their first game since last Thursday - but they spent the past three days in Salt Lake City. This will be their third consecutive Thursday TNT game.

Utah was 37-4 at home last regular season but one of those losses was to Boston - the Cs have won four of five in Salt Lake City. Overall, the Celtics have won two of their past three games with the Jazz, including a 100-91 win in Boston earlier this season. Rajon Rondo completely outplayed Utah's Deron Williams that night, just missing a triple-double with 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Williams had 15 points, seven assists and fouled out that night in Beantown but has been on fire in the past six games, averaging 30.8 points and 9.5 assists while shooting 56.5 percent from the field as Utah has won five of six (5-1 ATS).

Utah is just 9-12 against the Eastern Conference this season, and five of its six home losses have come to teams from the East. The Jazz are 1.5-point dogs for tonight's game, and Utah is 0-6 ATS in its past six as an underdog.