The Celtics again started quick, and this time, they didn’t give up the lead. The C’s sprinted away with a 122-90 win over the Pelicans on Monday in New Orleans. The Celtics are immediately 1-3 on the year, halting their losing streak, while the Pelicans fell to 0-3.
The Pelicans stuck around all game, even after the Celtics held a double-digit lead for most of the night. But the C’s put together a massive 31-4 run in the fourth quarter to close the win. Boston had struggled from 3-point land for stretches, but the team got the makes in the final frame. The Pelicans were also without Zion Williamson.
Anfernee Simons came through with 25 points and six rebounds to help lead the Celtics (more on him below). Jaylen Brown also added 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists while Payton Pritchard had 18 points and eight assists. Jordan Poole had 22 points and four assists for the Pelicans, though it was on poor efficiency.
The Celtics next face the Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at TD Garden. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over New Orleans:
Catching fire: This is the Simons the Celtics traded for when they agreed to the Jrue Holiday offer. The guard is a bonafide scorer, though he didn’t flash that much in his first three games of the season. But Simons heated up, shooting 9-for-17 from the field and 6-for-13 on 3-pointers. He’s scrapped to make some hustle plays early in his Celtics tenure, which he’ll need to continue doing going forward. There’s a reason why Simons is a stellar scorer, though, and he showed that in a winning effort Monday.
Making the most of it: The fifth starter spot has rotated to start the season for the Celtics. It was Josh Minott’s turn Monday as he got his first career start. Minott made his presence known immediately, getting an alley-oop dunk shortly after tipoff. He impressed all night, finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds, along with numerous plays that won’t show up in the box score. As a bonus, he was an eye-popping plus-42 in his 28 minutes. Minott’s been a pleasant surprise since the preseason as he makes his case for a consistent rotation spot.
Controlling the glass: The Celtics came into Monday’s game dead last in the NBA when it came to defensive rebounding. They were overwhelmed on the glass by the Knicks and Pistons the last two games, leading to a pair of losses. But against an undersized New Orleans squad, the Celtics kept them off the glass. The C’s gave up 11 offensive rebounds to the Pelicans, holding a 23-15 edge in second-chance points. It was an important shift for the Celtics after the start of the season.
Finally, a win: Even if the Celtics lost Monday, it wouldn’t have doomed the season. But getting that first victory was still crucial in looking at the upcoming schedule. The Celtics are in the middle of a five-games-in-seven-days stretch, and their next three games are tough. They host the Cavaliers on Wednesday, go on the road to rematch the 76ers on Friday, then they take on the Rockets in Boston on Saturday. Those are some premier opponents where wins will be difficult to come by. So getting that first win, after the slow start to the season, was critical Monday ahead of tough tests.
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