Preview: Boston Celtics vs. New Orleans Pelicans - prediction, team news, form guide

The lowly New Orleans Pelicans volition question to TD Garden to instrumentality connected the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, connected Monday morning.

The Celts (27-11) are successful 2nd spot successful the Eastern Conference down the surging Cavaliers, portion the Pels are stone bottommost successful the Western Conference standings.

Match preview

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The Boston Celtics person been performing beneath the modular we person travel to expect precocious and person divided their past 10 games 5 wins and 5 losses pursuing a 114-97 decision to the Sacramento Kings astatine location connected Saturday.

Jalen Brown led the Celts with 28 points and 5 assists, Kristaps Porzingis contributed 20 points and 10 assists, and Jayson Tatum added 15 points and 12 rebounds, but nary different Boston subordinate managed to get into double-digits.

The champs coughed up a 15 turnovers which led to their opponents having arsenic galore arsenic 18 much tract extremity attempts for the game, and the Kings made it number successful the last quarter, outscoring the C's 38-21 to tally distant with the result.

In his post-match property conference, Joe Mazzulla said that the team's inefficient offence enactment unit connected their defence, and explained that helium did not deliberation the effect was owed to a deficiency of effort, adding that it is short-term occupation they mean to code immediately.

Despite the loss, the Celtics are inactive a top-10 squad connected some ends this season, averaging 117.9 points per crippled (fifth successful the league), portion allowing 108.4 PPG connected the antiaircraft extremity (sixth overall).

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Meanwhile, the Pelicans person been the worst successful the West this play with conscionable 8 wins successful 39, but they volition beryllium feeling a batch amended aft beating the Philadelphia 76ers 123-115 connected the roadworthy connected Friday.

CJ McCollum delivered a standout performance, putting up 38 points and 3 assists, Jordan Hawkins added 21 points and 2 assists, portion New Orleans' seat combined for precise awesome 36 points.

Zion Williamson, who lone conscionable returned to the tribunal from an wounded lack earlier this week, was suspended for the lucifer against the Sixers for violating squad policies arsenic helium was precocious for the team's formation to Philadelphia.

Williamson has lone featured successful 7 games this play and has a 44.6% crippled information complaint successful his sixth twelvemonth successful the NBA, and determination are wide rumours that the Pels and the subordinate are acceptable to portion ways.

New Orleans presently fertile 27th successful the scoring charts, averaging conscionable 107.4 points per game, portion connected the antiaircraft end, they are 25th, allowing 117.1 PPG to date.

Boston Celtics form:

New Orleans Pelicans form:

Team News

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Derrick White was listed arsenic an wounded uncertainty up of the Celtics nonaccomplishment to the Kings, but the defender was cleared acceptable up of tip-off, got 27 minutes successful the game, and should beryllium good to commencement connected Monday.

Jordan Walsh was forced to beryllium retired the past lucifer owed to illness, Drew Peterson missed retired with a concussion, and Baylor Scheierman is connected G League assignment. All 3 are improbable to diagnostic against the Pelicans.

The prohibition for Williamson was lone for 1 match, meaning helium volition beryllium eligible to instrumentality for the travel to Boston, but it volition beryllium absorbing to spot if Willie Green opts to bring him backmost into the team.

The Pels were dealt different wounded stroke past week, with Herb Jones being diagnosed with a posterior labrum teardrop successful his close shoulder, which volition support him sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Boston Celtics imaginable starting five:
Brown, Tatum, Porzingis, Holiday, White

New Orleans Pelicans imaginable starting five:
Hawkins, Murray, Missi, McCollum, Williamson

We say: Boston Celtics to triumph by 7+ points

While the Boston Celtics person not been astatine their precise champion this season, this should beryllium a lucifer they predominate fixed however mediocre their opponents person been this term.

The Pelicans person been ravaged by injuries and are 3-15 connected the road. We consciousness the hosts volition get a large triumph successful this one.

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