Celtics Face Pelicans in Search of First Win Tonight

New Orleans, Louisiana – The Boston Celtics (0-3) will look for their first victory of the season when they face the New Orleans Pelicans (0-2) Monday night at the Smoothie King Center. The game is set to tip-off at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcasted on NBC Sports Boston.

Both teams enter the matchup struggling. The Celtics lost their first three games, most recently suffering a defeat at the hands of the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. The Pelicans, meanwhile, lost their last two contests, including a close overtime battle against the San Antonio Spurs that ended 120-116 on Friday.

For the Celtics, defensive issues have plagued their start. They allowed 42 points in the fourth quarter to the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener, and then endured a 42-14 second quarter against the New York Knicks two nights later. The team will be without star forward Jayson Tatum, who is recovering from an Achilles injury, forcing Jaylen Brown to shoulder more of the offensive responsibility.

“We’ve got to figure that out. A lot of our issues can be solved just on the defensive glass,” Brown stated after his 41-point performance against the Pistons. He noted that rebounding has been a significant challenge, with the Celtics averaging just 39 rebounds per game.

The Pelicans have had their challenges as well, losing both of their games by a narrow margin. They struggled with rebounding in their game against Memphis and missed a crucial free throw against San Antonio that could have won the game. Forward Zion Williamson, who is averaging 27 points per game, is expected to play but is dealing with a foot injury.

In terms of team statistics, the Celtics average 108.0 points per game while allowing 113.7. The Pelicans, on the other hand, are scoring an average of 119.0 points but allowing 124.0. With these high-scoring potential but defensive vulnerabilities, both teams are in search of improvement.

Fans can tune in to watch the NBA matchup on NBCSB, with radio coverage available on WBZ-FM 98.5. Both teams hope to turn their season around with a much-needed victory.