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Celtics

120

Game StatusFinal

Pelicans

119

Celtics withstand return of Zion Williamson and beat Pelicans 120-119

Regular Season Series

BOS leads series 1-0

Game Analysis

Statistics visualization

Game Stats

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Pelicans

Celtics

40-86FG44-101

47Field Goal %44

17-373PT13-44

46Three Point %30

22-26FT19-23

6Offensive Rebounds18

36Defensive Rebounds37

24Assists23

8Steals5

3Blocks7

9Turnovers11

0Technical Fouls0

4Points Conceded Off Turnovers17

22Fast Break Points8

19Fouls18

11Largest Lead5

Game Recap

By AP•Jan 13, 2025 • 1:47 AM

Jayson Tatum drops 38 points to lead the Celtics in a thrilling victory over the Pelicans.

BOSTON -- — Jayson Tatum scored 38 points with 11 rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis had 19 points and 11 boards on Sunday as the Boston Celtics overcame the return of Zion Williamson to the New Orleans lineup and beat the Pelicans 120-119.

Trey Murphy III scored 30 points and Williamson scored 16 in his return from a one-game suspension for being late to team activities. The 2019 draft lottery prize also had seven rebounds in 28 minutes.

New Orleans led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter, taking advantage when the Celtics made just one of their first 11 3-point attempts. Boston finished 13 for 44 from long distance and shot just 43.6% overall from the floor.

The Takeaways

Pelicans: The Pelicans can be competitive with Williamson on the floor, but injuries and a one-game suspension have limited him to just eight of the team’s first 40 games.

Celtics: The defending NBA champions avoided a loss to one of the NBA's worst teams and improved to 7-6 in their last 13 games.

Key moment

With seven seconds left, Boston had the ball with a one-point lead. Derrick White wasn't able to inbound the ball; he tried to call a timeout but was whistled for a 5 second violation. The Pelicans got the ball to McCollum, who drove to the basket but missed the contested layup and the rebound was swatted away as time expired.

Key stat

Dejounte Murray scored 17 points in the first two quarters minutes and finished with 26 points to go with nine rebounds and eight assists.

Up next

The Pelicans visit the Bulls on Tuesday and the Celtics are at Toronto on Wednesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Yves Missi vs. Kristaps Porzingis (Derrick White gains possession)	0	0
11:45	Kristaps Porzingis misses 26-foot three point jumper	0	0
11:42	Derrick White offensive rebound	0	0
11:41	Derrick White bad pass (Zion Williamson steals)	0	0
11:33	Dejounte Murray makes 24-foot three point shot (Trey Murphy III assists)	0	3
11:21	Zion Williamson shooting foul	0	3
11:21	Jayson Tatum makes free throw 1 of 2	1	3
11:21	Jayson Tatum makes free throw 2 of 2	2	3
11:11	Kristaps Porzingis shooting foul	2	3
11:11	Yves Missi makes free throw 1 of 2	2	4
11:11	Yves Missi makes free throw 2 of 2	2	5
10:50	Jaylen Brown misses 12-foot pullup jump shot	2	5
10:49	Yves Missi defensive rebound	2	5
10:45	Yves Missi lost ball turnover (Derrick White steals)	2	5
10:39	Jrue Holiday misses 22-foot three point jumper	2	5
10:38	Jrue Holiday offensive rebound	2	5
10:27	Kristaps Porzingis misses 27-foot three point jumper	2	5
10:25	Derrick White offensive rebound	2	5
10:24	Derrick White misses 27-foot three point jumper	2	5
10:23	Dejounte Murray defensive rebound	2	5
10:06	Trey Murphy III makes driving layup (Yves Missi assists)	2	7
9:51	Jaylen Brown misses 25-foot three point jumper	2	7
9:50	Pelicans defensive team rebound	2	7
9:36	CJ McCollum misses 27-foot three point jumper	2	7
9:35	Jayson Tatum defensive rebound	2	7
9:22	Kristaps Porzingis makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jaylen Brown assists)	5	7
9:02	Yves Missi lost ball turnover (Jayson Tatum steals)	5	7
8:49	Kristaps Porzingis out of bounds lost ball turnover	5	7
8:30	Dejounte Murray makes 10-foot driving floating jump shot (CJ McCollum assists)	5	9
8:06	Jayson Tatum misses driving layup	5	9
8:06	CJ McCollum defensive rebound	5	9
8:00	Trey Murphy III makes 23-foot three point shot (Dejounte Murray assists)	5	12
7:38	Jayson Tatum makes 14-foot jumper (Jrue Holiday assists)	7	12
7:38	Dejounte Murray loose ball foul	7	12
7:38	Javonte Green enters the game for Zion Williamson	7	12
7:38	Kristaps Porzingis makes free throw 1 of 1	8	12
7:18	Javonte Green makes 22-foot three point jumper (Dejounte Murray assists)	8	15
7:05	Jayson Tatum misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	8	15
7:04	Kristaps Porzingis offensive rebound	8	15
7:04	Kristaps Porzingis makes tip shot	10	15
6:46	Dejounte Murray makes 27-foot three point jumper (Yves Missi assists)	10	18
6:43	Celtics Full timeout	10	18
6:29	Dejounte Murray blocks Jayson Tatum 's 10-foot driving layup	10	18
6:29	Celtics offensive team rebound	10	18
6:18	Derrick White misses 29-foot three point jumper	10	18
6:16	Jayson Tatum offensive rebound	10	18
6:11	Jaylen Brown misses 22-foot jumper	10	18
6:10	Jrue Holiday offensive rebound	10	18
6:09	Jrue Holiday makes two point shot	12	18
6:09	Trey Murphy III shooting foul	12	18
6:09	Payton Pritchard enters the game for Jaylen Brown	12	18
6:09	Al Horford enters the game for Derrick White	12	18
6:09	Jrue Holiday makes free throw 1 of 1	13	18
5:45	CJ McCollum makes 6-foot two point shot	13	20
5:36	Jrue Holiday misses 23-foot three point step back jumpshot	13	20
5:34	CJ McCollum defensive rebound	13	20
5:27	CJ McCollum misses 23-foot three point pullup jump shot	13	20
5:26	Kristaps Porzingis defensive rebound	13	20
5:14	Trey Murphy III shooting foul	13	20
5:14	Jayson Tatum makes free throw 1 of 2	14	20
5:14	Jordan Hawkins enters the game for Trey Murphy III	14	20
5:14	Jayson Tatum makes free throw 2 of 2	15	20
5:02	Javonte Green misses 25-foot three point jumper	15	20
5:00	Al Horford defensive rebound	15	20
4:50	Al Horford misses 25-foot three point jumper	15	20
4:49	Javonte Green defensive rebound	15	20
4:39	Dejounte Murray makes 27-foot three point jumper (CJ McCollum assists)	15	23
4:19	Kristaps Porzingis misses 26-foot three point jumper	15	23
4:18	Yves Missi defensive rebound	15	23
4:10	Dejounte Murray makes 27-foot three pointer	15	26
3:53	Payton Pritchard makes 4-foot two point shot	17	26
3:42	Jrue Holiday personal foul	17	26
3:42	Zion Williamson enters the game for Javonte Green	17	26
3:33	Jrue Holiday blocks CJ McCollum's driving floating jump shot	17	26
3:31	CJ McCollum offensive rebound	17	26
3:28	Zion Williamson misses layup	17	26
3:27	Al Horford defensive rebound	17	26
3:15	Jayson Tatum makes 3-foot driving floating jump shot	19	26
3:12	Zion Williamson out of bounds bad pass turnover	19	26
3:01	Jayson Tatum misses 15-foot pullup jump shot	19	26
2:59	Dejounte Murray defensive rebound	19	26
2:48	CJ McCollum makes 12-foot jumper (Dejounte Murray assists)	19	28
2:38	Kristaps Porzingis makes 26-foot three point jumper (Payton Pritchard assists)	22	28
2:22	Al Horford blocks Zion Williamson 's 7-foot two point shot	22	28
2:21	Celtics defensive team rebound	22	28
2:21	Pelicans Full timeout	22	28
2:21	Daniel Theis enters the game for Yves Missi	22	28
2:21	Zion Williamson vs. Kristaps Porzingis (Al Horford gains possession)	22	28
2:06	Jrue Holiday misses driving layup	22	28
2:05	Zion Williamson defensive rebound	22	28
2:00	Daniel Theis makes two point shot (CJ McCollum assists)	22	30
1:42	Payton Pritchard misses driving layup	22	30
1:41	Al Horford offensive rebound	22	30
1:41	Al Horford makes tip shot	24	30
1:22	Dejounte Murray makes 28-foot three point jumper (Zion Williamson assists)	24	33
1:02	Jayson Tatum makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	27	33
47.1	Dejounte Murray misses 27-foot three point jumper	27	33
46.0	Al Horford defensive rebound	27	33
45.0	Luke Kornet enters the game for Kristaps Porzingis	27	33
32.1	Jayson Tatum misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	27	33
29.1	Zion Williamson defensive rebound	27	33
13.0	Jordan Hawkins makes 15-foot pullup jump shot (Dejounte Murray assists)	27	35
2.1	Jayson Tatum makes two point shot	29	35
0.0	Zion Williamson misses 37-foot three point jumper	29	35
0.0	Pelicans offensive team rebound	29	35
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	29	35

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

TD Garden

Boston, MA

Date & Time

11:00 PM, January 12, 2025

Coverage

NBA League Pass, NBC Sports BO, GCSEN

Attendance

19,156

Referees

Brian Forte, Sean Corbin, CJ Washington

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	43	16	.729	W11
Houston	37	22	.627	L1
Memphis	22	36	.379	W1
Dallas	21	38	.356	L2
New Orleans	19	42	.311	W4

2025-26 Atlantic Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Boston	39	20	.661	W1
New York	38	22	.633	W1
Toronto	35	25	.583	W1
Philadelphia	33	26	.559	W3
Brooklyn	15	44	.254	L7

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Celtics

Pelicans

Celtics withstand return of Zion Williamson and beat Pelicans 120-119

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