Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jaylen Brown produced game highs with 41 points and 12 rebounds to help the Boston Celtics stretch their winning streak to four games by beating the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 125-114 Wednesday night.
Brown made 15 of his 21 field-goal attempts, and also sunk eight of nine free throws.
Jayson Tatum added 31 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, which had a 50-33 rebounding edge. It was the 13th consecutive game that Tatum has scored at least 25 points.
Malcolm Brogdon came off the bench to score 20 for the Celtics, who have won their last six home games.
CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 38 points. He shot 6-for-12 from 3-point range. Naji Marshall (18), Trey Murphy (15) and Jonas Valanciunas (13) also scored in double figures for New Orleans.
The Pelicans played without leading scorer Zion Williamson (hamstring), who is averaging 26.0 points per game. New Orleans was also without Brandon Ingram (toe) and Herbert Jones (back). Ingram is averaging 20.8 points per contest, and Jones is averaging 10.0 points per game.
Boston’s Robert Williams and Marcus Smart both missed the game with knee injuries.
The Pelicans were within two points, 72-70, following a McCollum jumper with 7:30 remaining in the third quarter, but Boston went on an 18-6 run to take a 90-76 lead with 3:45 left in the third. The Celtics had a 97-85 lead entering the fourth.
The Celtics led 35-32 after one quarter and scored the first nine points of the second. Boston’s 44-32 advantage was its largest lead of the half.
The Pelicans’ scoring drought ended when Marshall made a 3-pointer with 8:47 left in the quarter. That began a 12-4 run that trimmed Boston’s lead to 48-44. Boston led 64-58 at halftime.
Brown had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the first half. McCollum made six of his seven 3-point attempts in the first two quarters and led all scorers with 22 points in the half.
It was the second meeting between the teams this season. The Celtics won 117-109 in New Orleans on Nov. 19.
–Field Level Media