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Boston • Playing time has been scarce for Jazz rookie Trey Lyles ever since the team's starting frontcourt has returned from injury. In his past seven games, the young forward had topped 10 minutes of action just twice.

"Just continue to stay in the gym, continue to have confidence in myself and just be ready when the time presented itself," he told himself.

And when the window opened for more playing time Monday night, the 20-year-old Jazzman was ready to seize the opportunity.

Lyles, who had scored 16 points combined in his previous seven games, led the Jazz with 18 points in Monday's 100-95 loss to the Celtics. The power forward entered the game late in the first quarter and quickly settled in with a nine-foot jumper. A minute later, he was driving to the rim for a bucket and a foul. It was all part of a stretch in which the rookie accounted for 12 straight Jazz points over the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second.

"He was really aggressive," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "I think, particularly for a player that they haven't seen as much of, I think that surprised them. It surprised everybody."

On Monday, Snyder looked to the rookie because forward Trevor Booker missed the game to attend his grandmother's funeral in South Carolina. Booker is expected to rejoin the team in time for Wednesday's game at Toronto.

"It's been that way all year for sure," Snyder said. "Guys getting opportunities and taking advantage of them, and we're going to have some more."

Lyles finished the night with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

"I knew Book wasn't going to be able to be here tonight, so I had to step up and fill his role," Lyles said.

Getting stuck

Celtics coach Brad Stevens gushed about his former Butler pupils Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack plenty on Monday night. But he also had high praise for another former player: Jazz forward Chris Johnson.

"If you asked around just the guys that were here … he's one of their favorite guys that has been through here," Stevens said.

Johnson had just signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics in 2014 when guard Avery Bradley went down with an injury. Stevens told Johnson to be ready to play right away and, the next night, Johnson chipped in 11 points to help kick-start a comeback effort that fell just short.

"He's not scared of anything," Stevens said. "… It's great that he's stuck [in the league], because guys like that should stick."

Odds and ends

Jazz point guard Trey Burke was a healthy scratch on Monday as Snyder appears to be trimming his rotation. … The Celtics had nine players record a blocked shot. Jazz center Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, went without a block. … The Jazz are now 9-19 on the road this season, with 13 road games left to play. —

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