The Boston Celtics (57-16, first in the Eastern Conference) will face off against the New Orleans Pelicans (45-28, fifth in the Western Conference) in a non-conference matchup in New Orleans on Saturday at 5 p.m. EDT.
The Pelicans have a strong record of 21-14 in home games but have struggled in close games, with a 1-6 record in games decided by less than 4 points. On the other hand, the Celtics have a 25-13 record on the road and are fifth in the Eastern Conference with 15.5 fast break points per game, led by Jaylen Brown who averages 4.4.
In terms of recent performance, both teams have been putting up impressive offensive numbers, with the Pelicans averaging 110.3 points and the Celtics averaging 123.5 points in their last 10 games. However, New Orleans has been performing better defensively, allowing only 107.7 points per game compared to Boston’s allowed average of 96.8 points per game over their last ten contests.
Top performers to watch include Jonas Valanciunas and Zion Williamson for the Pelicans, and Derrick White and Sam Hauser for the Celtics.
Boston is currently leading New Orleans by three games and holding first place in the East Conference while New Orleans is just outside of top four spot in West Conference.
This will be the second meeting between these two teams this season, with Boston winning previously over Pelicans on January 30th with a score of 118-112.
In terms of injuries, Brandon Ingram and Jose Alvarado are out for New Orleans while Jaden Springer and Al Horford are out for Boston.
As both teams prepare to meet again on Saturday at Staples Center, fans can expect an exciting matchup between two of basketball’s top young stars: Zion Williamson for New Orleans and Jaylen Brown for Boston as well as some other great players that will showcase their skills on court!
