Jayson Tatum’s last-second bucket lifts Celtics over Pelicans

Jaylen Brown scored 28 points and Jayson Tatum added 27, including a tie-breaking jumper with 0.2 seconds left, as the visiting Boston Celtics held off the New Orleans Pelicans 118-116 on Friday night.

Tatum added 10 assists, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White scored 16 points each and Luke Kornet had 11 off the bench for the Celtics.

Trey Murphy III scored a season-high 40 points, Jose Alvarado added 20, CJ McCollum had 17 and Brandon Boston Jr. 10 for New Orleans, which lost its fifth straight game. Pelicans starting point guard Dejounte Murray had to be helped to the locker room after injuring his lower right leg in the first quarter. He did not return.

New Orleans trailed by five after three quarters, but Alvarado hit a 3-pointer to open scoring in the fourth. The Pelicans got within two points four more times, with the Celtics answering on the first three. On the fourth occasion, Murphy made a short jumper to finally pull New Orleans even at 114 with 1:37 left.

Brown and McCollum exchanged baskets before Tatum dribbled down the clock and swished the game-winner from 21 feet.

Four Celtics scored during a 9-6 run to start the third quarter, increasing the Celtics’ lead to 68-59. Murphy made two 3-pointers, and Alvarado and Karlo Matkovic made one each as the Pelicans took a 77-75 lead.

Brown scored eight points and White and Payton Pritchard scored three each as Boston took a 91-86 lead going into the fourth.

Murphy scored 16 points to help New Orleans take a 34-31 lead at the end of the first quarter.

New Orleans led by five twice early in the second quarter, but Kornet made consecutive baskets to complete a 6-0 run and put Boston ahead by one point. The Pelicans regained the lead briefly, but Tatum made consecutive 3-pointers to start an 8-0 run that gave the Celtics a 47-42 lead.

New Orleans closed within one point twice, but White and Tatum each made a 3-pointer to help Boston extend the lead to nine. Murphy’s 3-pointer trimmed New Orleans’ deficit to 59-53 at halftime.

Blogs

Advertise with us with SWEET DEALS!

Advertise with us with SWEET DEALS!

Sweet Deals are radio advertising at its best. It’s a cash-free marketing campaign for your business that grows your customer base. It’s not about the offer – it’s about branding. We limit your liability by selling a fixed, fair number of deals. If you would like more information on our Sweet Deals program, fill out…

Local Resources

These are some very trying times on our hands, and here at The Score, we are trying to give you as many local resources and information that we can to assist you. If you, or someone you know, has lost their job and needs more information regarding unemployment information you can click HERE or HERE for…

The Score’s Online Career Fair

The Score’s Online Career Fair

THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE HIRING Click on the logo of the company below, and it will take you to that website. Eugene School District 4J Elwood Staffing Farwest Steel Lane Community College Northwest College Professional Credit Nova Healthcare Express Employment Northwest Community Credit Union Oregon Department of Transportation