The Celtics needed this one.
After getting off to their worst start in over a decade, Boston finally broke through Monday night with a 122-90 win over the Pelicans in The Big Easy.
It was the kind of collective effort the Celtics had been searching for. Six players scored in double figures, led by Anfernee Simons’ 25 points. Jordan Poole led New Orleans with 22 points as the Pelicans played without Zion Williamson (foot). Boston trailed for just 23 seconds.
Here are five takeaways as the Celtics improve their scoring differential to +15 on the season, even at 1-3.
The Celtics controlled the margins
For the first time this season, the Celtics outrebounded their opponent. Uncoincidentally, it came in their first victory. Boston controlled the glass 54-35, including 16-11 on offensive rebounds, turning those extra opportunities into 23 second-chance points compared to New Orleans’ 16. Six players grabbed at least six rebounds, with Neemias Queta leading the way with 11. Their defensive rebound rate jumped to 70.7 percent, up from 58.4 percent over the first three games.
They also dominated from beyond the arc, hitting 18 threes to New Orleans’ nine, and finally converted forced turnovers into points, scoring 19 off New Orleans’ mistakes. It was a season-high and the first time they outscored their opponent in points off turnovers.
Boston’s 25 assists were another season-high, the first time they have reached 20 this season.
Rebounds, ball movement, capitalizing on mistakes, and knocking down threes were the areas the Celtics have been trying to flip all season, and on Monday night, they finally did.
Josh Minott impressed in first NBA start
Just four seconds into the game, Josh Minott was already hanging from the rim after throwing down a dunk for the first two points.
That play set the tone for what Minott would bring.
The 22-year-old finished with a career-high 15 points (6/9 FG, 1/3 3P), along with nine rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block in his first NBA start.
He played with relentless energy, defending hard and hustling all over the floor, finishing with a +42 in just 28 minutes. Minott became the ninth Celtic in the play-by-play era (1996-2026) to finish a game +42 or better, and only the seventh to do it in under 30 minutes. He brings the edge the Celtics want to play with, and that was on full display Monday night.
It will be interesting to see how Joe Mazzulla manages the wing rotation. Hugo Gonzalez, who played in each of the last two games after a DNP-CD in the season opener, did not play Monday night, while Minott sat out Friday against the Knicks. The situation appears to remain fluid as Mazzulla continues to figure out exactly what he has on this roster.
Anfernee Simons had his best game as a Celtic
This was the Anfernee Simons the Celtics were looking for. After struggling to find his shot throughout the first three games, Simons finally got going on Monday night, finishing with a game-high 25 points on 9-of-17 (52.9%) shooting from the field and 6-of-13 (46.2%) from three.
In the fourth quarter, Simons scored 12 points, matching the total of New Orleans as a team. He made as many three-pointers (3) as New Orleans had made field goals in the frame.
That’s the type of scorer Simons is. He has made at least 200 threes in two of the last three seasons and has averaged at least 17 points in each of the previous four years. When he gets going, he can really explode, and if the Celtics can get him going consistently, it opens the game tremendously for the rest of the roster. That’s the Simons they’re going to need to maximize a roster that still has plenty of deficiencies.
The Celtics took over in the fourth quarter
I alluded to New Orleans’ 12-point fourth quarter above. This was a six-point game entering the final frame. A Jordan Poole step-back three at the 9:14 mark cut it to five — but that’s as close as the Celtics let it get.
With just over eight minutes left, Poole found a cutting DeAndre Jordan (yes, that DeAndre Jordan), who went up for a layup attempt only to be swallowed up by Derrick White. White blocked the shot, caught it on his way down, and started a fast break that ended with an Anfernee Simons three, assisted by White.
One, the play was sick. Two, it showed how White, despite scoring just 11 points (5/14 FG, 1/9 3PT) as he works through a shooting slump, continues to impact the game in so many other ways.
That sequence sparked Boston’s fourth-quarter onslaught, as the Celtics went on to outscore New Orleans 28-4 the rest of the way.
In total, the Celtics took the quarter 35-12, shooting 14-of-21 (66.7%) from the field and 6-of-12 (50%) from three while dishing out eight assists. The Pelicans, meanwhile, went just 3-of-19 (15.8%) from the field and 1-of-11 (9.1%) from deep, turning it over four times. It was dominant basketball, and with the defense and barrage of threes, it felt like the Celtics of old.
Boston's bigs were solid
With Zion Williamson sidelined, the Pelicans went small or relied on DeAndre Jordan, who is in his 18th season, and the Celtics’ bigs took advantage.
Neemias Queta finished with six points (3/8 FG), a game-high 11 rebounds, including a career-high seven offensive rebounds, and four blocked shots. Luka Garza added 16 points (5/7 FG, 3/4 3PT), six rebounds, and an assist.
Naturally, there will be ups and downs with this big man rotation throughout the season, but Monday night was a strong showing from that group.
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