Tatum’s late jumper lifts Celtics past Pelicans

The New Orleans Bortset from a two-game-winning strip squeezed in the middle, Celtics has spent the last four weeks switching between victories and losses. This game against a 12-Win Pelican team crushed by injuries seemed like a perfect opportunity to break the trend of mediocrity, but there is easily a little too Celtics during this stretch.

In this case, they needed some late gaming heroics when Jayson Tatum’s 20-foot Fadeaway with 0.2 seconds left clicked a tie and sent Celtics to a 118-116 win on Friday night.

Tatum ended with 27 points and 10 rebounds and Jaylen Brown scored 28 points for Celtics, forcing 20 New Orleans revenue. Trey Murphy broke out for 40 points for the pelicans who were without Zion Williamson (disease), Brandon Ingram (ankle), Herbert Jones (shoulder), Daniel Theis (thumb) and Jordan Hawkins (disease).

Celtics led, 91-86, at the start of the fourth quarter, but they were unable to stretch the lead beyond 6 as New Orleans dwelt.

Murphy made lots of precise and in-rhythm 3-Pointers, but he had some luck when he knocked one in from the left bow with 3:59 back before a CJ McCollum lineup at 3: 02 marked the pelicans pulled within 113- 111.

After a couple of scattered Celtic’s owners, Murphy then scored inside when he was buried with 1:37 back to tie the scoring of 114. However, he missed the subsequent free throw.

At the other end, Tatum found a cut of Kristaps Porzingis, buried by Javonte Green on a dunk trial, and Boston’s coaching staff were furious that a violation of the target was not called when Green seemed to put his hand through the edge . Porzingis then missed both free kicks, but Celtics responded with a strong defensive possession that ended up with Murphy firing up a deep, disputed airball.

Brown then set a two-for-one chance by hitting a 133.9 seconds left giving Celtics a 116-114 lead. McCollum replied by tying the scoring with a runner. Coach Joe Mazzulla had exchanged violation/defense with Porzingis and Al Horford, and could have called Timeout to get Porzingis back as a offensive threat.

Instead, Celtics ran down and JRUE Holiday found Tatum, whose Fadeaway 20-foot went in without touching the edge.

The pelicans have been decimated by injuries this season and they appeared to suffer another serious when star guard deekte Murray curled down on the floor with 3:54 back in the opening quarter after suffering a seemingly leg injury before they were helped from court .

But the remaining New Orleans players, mostly a collection of backups, made up a lively effort in the first half, with Murphy being a leader. He connected three 3-Pointers during the last 3:26 of the opening quarter, the last a pull-up from the edge of the team logo near Midcourt, giving his team a 31-25 lead, its largest of half.

However, Sam Hauser mostly answered Murphy at the other end. Celtics Forward, who returned after missing two matches with a hip injury, associated with 3 out of 4 attempts from Beyond Arc in the last four minutes, and drew Boston within 34-31 at the start of the second.

Tatum checked back in midway through the second quarter and immediately put Boston back ahead, 45-42, with consecutive 3-Pointers. But Boston’s rally was primarily triggered by a reputation with defensive intensity.

It was no surprise to see Derrick White in the middle of the wave. New Orleans pulled, 49-48, and had a quick break that seemed to give it a good chance to push back in front before White slid in and stuck the ball away from Murphy from behind, one of his trademarks.

This revenue led to a Celtics lineup, just as White’s next stealing moments later. He put a hood on his dominant stretch by draining a 3-point from the right corner with 1:52 back giving Celtics a 53-48 lead. In the second quarter, Boston forced eight revenue and held the Pelicans to only 19 points, which helped go into the break with a 59-53 lead.

Porzingis put the tone at the start of the game with two quick blocks, and he served as a strong deterrent effect at the edge throughout the game. He added two more blocks at the start of the third quarter, including a powerful one on a Yves Missi Dunk attempt.

But these sudden and under -budded pelicans dwelt. After Celtics took a 68-59 lead on a white 3-Pointer with 9:16 back in the third quarter, New Orleans replied with an 18-7 Burst and took a 77-75 lead on another 3-pointer of Murphy.

But Brown responded with Back-to-Back 3-Pointers and a pull-up 15-foot to run Celtics and help them take a 91-86 lead to the fourth.

Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.