On Monday night in New Orleans, the Boston Celtics propelled themselves into the win column for the first time this season. The third quarter was a rock fight. The visitors only mustered 22 points but managed to hold the Pelicans to 24. Then came a Mike Tyson-like upper cut by Boston in the final frame.
The Celtics held the hosts to 3/19 shooting in the final 12 minutes. They put 35 points on the board while limiting the opposition to 12. They shot a scorching 66.7 percent from the field. That includes knocking down 6/12 three-point attempts.
And while struggles to close out possessions have deservedly been a loud topic of conversation about Boston's new-look roster, in the closing period, the Celtics held the Pelicans to five offensive rebounds and four second-chance points.
That ability to limit New Orleans to one shot on most possessions allowed Boston to play at a faster pace and consistently operate in transition. It fueled better ball movement. The result was eight assists on 14 field goals, as the visitors found and sustained their rhythm offensively.
"I thought we executed defensively," said Joe Mazzulla about his team's fourth-quarter performance in its 122-90 victory, per CLNS Media. "Held them to one shot, got the rebound, and obviously made some open shots. We kept our pace offensively, and we were able to knock down some open ones, whether it was off our offense or offensive rebounds.
"So, I thought we played well-connected basketball, getting stops, keeping them off the free-throw line, and then good execution on the offensive end."
How the Celtics put away the Pelicans
Early in the final frame, the hosts, who had managed to hang around despite Zion Williamson's absence, pulled within five on a Jordan Poole three. From that point on, it was all Boston.
The visitors outscored New Orleans 28-4 in the last eight minutes. With Jaylen Brown on the bench with five fouls, Anfernee Simons, who finally looked comfortable with his new team, stepped into a starring role.
Simons erupted for 12 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter. He buried a corner triple, uncorked a step-back three over Jeremiah Fears, and stepped into another make from beyond the arc on the heels of Derrick White rotating to reject DeAndre Jordan.
The latter was a prime example of Mazzulla's message about the Celtics playing complementary, well-connected basketball in the final frame.
As they flew around defensively, limiting the Pelicans to 1/11 from three-point range, and minimizing second-chance opportunities and free-throw attempts, their offense turned into a supernova. Being able to generate higher quality looks also lends itself to fewer turnovers. Boston only had two. That played into an opponent that couldn't enjoy the same up-tempo approach and transition opportunities that their guests could.
It all led to seven players scoring in the final period. Plus, it allowed Jaylen Brown, who's working through a hamstring strain, to enjoy most of the fourth quarter from the bench. The four-time All-Star only had to log 24 minutes in the second half of Boston's back-to-back.
It was a small win that could help the Celtics against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. That opponent is also a reminder of the quality of competition Boston beat. However, the recipe and the impact of finding more success on the defensive glass remain the same. Now, the challenge becomes proving they can replicate their play in the final frame, especially when the caliber of competition improves.
