Boston Celtics at New Orleans Pelicans
· National Basketball AssociationWilliamson has double-double, Pelicans top Celtics 123-108
Jrue Holiday had 25 points, JJ Redick scored 17 and Brandon Ingram added 16 for New Orleans, which snapped a two-game slide.
Williamson played his most minutes yet in his third game back from arthroscopic knee surgery performed the day before the regular season opened. He had played the first five or so minutes of each quarter in his first two games, but the Pelicans made an adjustment to his fourth-quarter usage to allow the NBA's top overall draft choice out of Duke to be on the court for the final minutes Sunday.
Kemba Walker scored 35 points, Gordon Hayward 23 and Jaylen Brown 20 for the Celtics, who fell behind for good in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 23 in the third quarter.
Seven Pelicans players combined for 10 3-pointers in the opening half, with Ingram, Holiday and Lonzo Ball each hitting two.
Williamson scored nine points while playing 12:26 through the first two quarters. His early highlights included an alley-oop layup on a long lob from Ball as Williamson raced down the lane in transition. He would have scored more if he hadn't missed four of his first five free throws.
New Orleans led by 23 early in the third quarter and was still up by 18 when Williamson soared to the rim over Boston's Vincent Poirier to slam back Redick's missed 3.
Soon after, Walker hit a 3 and added free throws during a 7-0 mini-run that pulled Boston to 87-79.
In the fourth quarter, Josh Hart and Redick missed consecutive breakaway layups and then Marcus Smart scored inside while being fouled by Williamson to cut it to 97-91. But Redick followed with a 3 and Williamson scored on a drive from the top of the key to make it 102-91 with 8:20 to go.
Boston struggled to stay within 10 after that.
TIP-INS
Celtics: F Jayson Tatum was inactive because of an illness and right groin strain. ... C Enes Kanter missed his second straight game with a bruised right hip. ... Daniel Theis scored 15 points. ... The Celtics shot 8 of 33 from 3-point range.
Pelicans: Outrebounded Boston 54-37. ... Combined for 16 3s on 36 attempts, with Holiday hitting four while Redick and Ingram made three apiece. ... Won convincingly despite missing 10 of 29 free throws and committing 20 turnovers. ... Williamson committed four turnovers and missed five of eight free throws.
UP NEXT
Celtics: Visit Miami on Tuesday night.
Pelicans: Visit Cleveland on Tuesday night.
---
Regular Season Series
Series tied 1-1
Recent Plays
| 4th 0.0 |  |
End of Game | 108 - 123 |
| 4th 0.0 | |
End of the 4th Quarter | 108 - 123 |
| 4th 7.0 |  |
Derrick Favors defensive rebound | 108 - 123 |
| 4th 10.4 |  |
Grant Williams misses 24-foot three point jumper | 108 - 123 |
| 4th 26.4 | |
Zion Williamson makes free throw 2 of 2 | 108 - 123 |
Statistics
 BOS |
 NO |
|
|---|---|---|
| 41-89 | FG | 44-92 |
| 46 | Field Goal % | 48 |
| 8-33 | 3PT | 16-36 |
| 24 | Three Point % | 44 |
| 18-22 | FT | 19-29 |
| 82 | Free Throw % | 66 |
| 37 | Rebounds | 54 |
| 7 | Offensive Rebounds | 18 |
| 30 | Defensive Rebounds | 36 |
| 21 | Assists | 31 |
| 6 | Steals | 7 |
| 5 | Blocks | 5 |
| 16 | Turnovers | 18 |
| 1 | Team Turnovers | 2 |
| 17 | Total Turnovers | 20 |
| 1 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 1 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 18 | Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 23 |
| 14 | Fast Break Points | 17 |
| 56 | Points in Paint | 52 |
| 29 | Fouls | 21 |
| 5 | Largest Lead | 23 |
New Orleans Pelicans Injuries
| NAME, POS | STATUS | DATE |
|---|---|---|
| Trey Murphy III, F | Out | Apr 11 |
| Dejounte Murray, G | Out | Apr 11 |
| Bryce McGowens, G | Out | Apr 11 |
| Yves Missi, C | Out | Apr 11 |
| Karlo Matkovic, F | Out | Apr 11 |
Boston Celtics Injuries
| NAME, POS | STATUS | DATE |
|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum, F | Out | May 2 |
Game Information
Location: New Orleans, LA
Attendance: 16,737 · Capacity:
2025-26 Atlantic Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Boston |
56 | 26 | .683 | - | W2 |
 New York |
53 | 29 | .646 | 3 | L1 |
 Toronto |
46 | 36 | .561 | 10 | W1 |
 Philadelphia |
45 | 37 | .549 | 11 | W2 |
 Brooklyn |
20 | 62 | .244 | 36 | L3 |
2025-26 Southwest Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 San Antonio |
62 | 20 | .756 | - | L1 |
 Houston |
52 | 30 | .634 | 10 | W1 |
 New Orleans |
26 | 56 | .317 | 36 | L2 |
 Dallas |
26 | 56 | .317 | 36 | W1 |
 Memphis |
25 | 57 | .305 | 37 | L8 |
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