The Boston Celtics, leading the Eastern Conference with a record of 57-16, will be facing off against the New Orleans Pelicans, who are fifth in the Western Conference with a record of 45-28. The game will take place in New Orleans on Saturday at 5 p.m. EDT.
The Pelicans have a home record of 21-14 and have struggled in close games, with a 1-6 record in games decided by less than 4 points. The Celtics, on the other hand, have a road record of 25-13 and are ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference with 15.5 fast break points per game, led by Jaylen Brown who averages 4.4 fast break points.
Both teams have strong 3-point shooting capabilities, with the Pelicans averaging 12.2 made 3-pointers per game and the Celtics averaging 16.6 made 3-pointers per game. The Celtics have a slight edge defensively, giving up 12.8 3-pointers per game compared to the 13.4 allowed by the Pelicans.
This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, with the Celtics winning the previous matchup 118-112 on Jan. 30. Key players to watch include Jonas Valanciunas and Zion Williamson for the Pelicans, and Derrick White and Sam Hauser for the Celtics.
In terms of recent performance, the Pelicans have won 7 of their last 10 games, averaging 110.3 points per game, while the Celtics have won 8 of their last 10 games, averaging 123.5 points per game.
In terms of injuries, Brandon Ingram and Jose Alvarado are out for the Pelicans, while Jaden Springer and Al Horford are out for the Celtics.