NEW ORLEANS — Jayson Tatum scored 23 points and the Boston Celtics rebounded from back-to-back losses to Atlanta, pulling away in the third quarter for a 104-92 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.
Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points and 10 rebounds and Jaylen Brown scored 17 as the Celtics, who at 58-16 have the NBA’s best record, avoided what would have been their first three-game skid of the year.
Derrick White had 15 points and Jrue Holiday had 13 points, seven assists and eight rebounds.
Zion Williamson scored 25 for New Orleans and CJ McCollum added 24.
Ahead 59-57 at halftime, Boston took control in the third quarter, limiting New Orleans to 11 points. The Celtics went ahead 79-68 on Tatum’s 3-pointer with 4:12 left in the quarter and led by double digits the rest of the way, going up by 22 in the fourth quarter.
The Pelicans shot 4 of 23 in the third quarter and Williamson missed all five of his attempts. New Orleans did not score after Trey Murphy’s 3-pointer with 4:37 left, going 0 of 6 with three turnovers.
Williamson and Herb Jones each had 14 points in the first half, when New Orleans led by 11 points after Williamson’s steal and dunk sparked a 9-0 run.
McCollum’s driving layup made it 34-23 late in the first quarter, but Boston chipped away in the second quarter, tying it at 44 on White’s tip-in of Brown’s miss.
White gave the Celtics their first lead when he hit a deep 3 as time expired in the first half.
Brandon Ingram missed his fifth consecutive game for the Pelicans with a bone bruise in his left knee. New Orleans was trying to get 18 games above .500 for the first time since being 49-31 on April 12, 2009.
UP NEXT
Celtics: Visit Charlotte on Monday night to wrap up a six-game road swing.
Pelicans: Host Phoenix on Monday night in the fourth of six straight at home.
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