The Boston Celtics will be trying to avoid back-to-back home losses when they face the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
After earning three victories during a four-game road trip, the Celtics dropped a 114-97 decision to Sacramento on Friday night. Boston’s home record fell to 13-7 with the loss.
The Celtics will enter Sunday’s matchup with a 6-6 record in their last 12 games.
“We’re gonna get past it,” Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis said following Friday’s game. “I’m telling you, I’m confident we’ll bounce back. We’re just having not the prettiest moment right now as a team, and it’s completely normal. But believe me, we’ll figure it out.”
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said his team has to be more consistent on offense. The Celtics scored 55 points in the first half against Sacramento, but only 42 in the final two quarters. Boston struggled the most in the fourth quarter, when it was outscored 38-21.
Jayson Tatum committed eight turnovers in the loss.
“When you’re having an inefficient offense, it puts pressure on your defense,” Mazzulla said. “Whether it’s shot-making, whether it’s execution, whether it’s spacing, I think that takes a toll on you. And then, if you’re going to shoot (26.8) percent from 3 (for the game), you’re going to have to do a bunch of other things, really, really, really well, and it puts pressure on your defense throughout the game. So we have to be better there.”
Tatum leads the Celtics in points (27.8), rebounds (9.3) and assists (5.5) per game. Porzingis has averaged 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 15 games since making his season debut on Nov. 25.
The Pelicans, who are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings (8-31), will be playing their second game of a three-game road trip Sunday. New Orleans was without Zion Williamson (one-game suspension) and Herb Jones (posterior labrum tear), but beat Philadelphia 123-115 Friday.
The Pelicans have won three of five since ending an 11-game losing streak by beating Washington 132-120 on Jan. 3.
“It’s a credit to all of our guys and the character in that locker room,” New Orleans coach Willie Green said after Friday’s win. “Dealing with a lot the last couple days or so, they pulled together and went out and competed for 48 minutes. Played hard. Really solid defense. Shared the ball offensively. All of the things we talk about. All of our concepts. I’m really proud of this group. … Good win on the road for us.”
The Pelicans are expected to have Williamson back in the lineup Sunday, but announced Friday that Jones will be out indefinitely with his injury. In addition to being one of the team’s best defensive players, Jones is averaging 10.3 points per game in 20 contests this season.
Williamson, who was suspended after reportedly arriving late for a team flight, has played in just seven of the Pelicans’ 39 games this season. He’s averaging 22.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
The Pelicans are 3-15 in road games.
“With us having guys out, missing some of our key guys, I talk about it all the time, but the margin for error is small, so taking care of the basketball is key so we have more opportunities to get quality shots,” Green said. “We want to offensive rebound. We want to finish possessions defensively so we can get out in transition and play some of our best basketball.”
–Field Level Media
