Boston Celtics win close game against New Orleans Pelicans behind Jayson Tatum double-double

The New Orleans Pelicans fought hard for 48 minutes and tried to pull off a comeback against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden, but their efforts fell short as the Celtics defeated the Pelicans 118-112 behind a Jayson Tatum masterclass.

All-Star starter Jayson Tatum played a phenomenal game tonight, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and a block on 56% shooting. The 5-time All-Star has been having another stellar season, averaging 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 47/36/81 shooting splits. Co-star Jaylen Brown had himself a performance too, ending the night with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists on 53% shooting. Offseason acquisition Jrue Holiday also joined the 20-point club as he scored 20 points on 64% shooting.

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For the Pelicans, Brandon Ingram had a big night, finishing with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 50% shooting. Ingram has been making a case for his 2nd All-Star appearance, as he’s averaging 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 49/36/80 shooting splits. Zion Williamson contributed 26 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists, and the same could be said about him in terms of representing New Orleans in the All-Star game, as he’s averaging 21.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on the season. CJ McCollum chipped in 16 points on 50% shooting.

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For the Celtics, this was a huge win after a tough loss last game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Celtics remain on top of the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 36-11. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games and will look to continue their dominance tomorrow night as they face off against the Indiana Pacers.

This loss drops the Pelicans to 26-21 on the year, which is good for 7th in the Western Conference. The Pelicans are fighting for a playoff spot and would like to avoid the play-in tournament at all costs, so this loss will be a difficult one to swallow. However, they can put their heads up high knowing they went right down to the wire against the best team in ball at the moment. The Pelicans are now 6-4 in their last 10 games and will get a chance to redeem themselves Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets.