With the Celtics boasting the best record in the NBA, there are plenty of teams using them as a measuring stick. That includes the Pelicans, who have had a solid season even though they haven’t gotten as much attention compared to other teams.
The C’s upped their defensive intensity in the second half, pulling away from the Pelicans in their win Saturday in New Orleans. The Celtics held the Pelicans to just 11 points in the third quarter, and that’s when the score became lopsided. Pelicans star Zion Williamson described what makes the Celtics such a great team, and it starts with the defense.
“Their consistency on a nightly basis,” Williamson told reporters in New Orleans. “The things that they mess up with, they don’t mess up twice. You can see it in their record. They know when to pick up their intensity. They know when they’re playing sloppy and they make adjustments quick. That’s what makes them great.”
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The Pelicans are in the middle of the West at fifth, but they do boast a 45-29 record. Notably, Williamson has put together a healthy season as he’s already played in a career-high 62 games. He’s been injury prone despite the otherworldly talent, so New Orleans gets to see what its team can do with Williamson around on a consistent basis.
Initially, the Pelicans came out hot Saturday as they had a 37-28 lead after the first quarter. But the C’s locked them down for the rest of the game, allowing just 55 points over the final three quarters. The Celtics also snapped a two-game losing streak as they improved to 58-16 and one step closer to locking up home-court advantage over the entire NBA Playoffs.
So while there was some angst after the Celtics lost a pair of games to the Hawks, it doesn’t change their standing in the league as one of the premier squads. That’s seen with how other teams view them.
“They can switch one-through-five, especially when they have their starting unit out there,” Williamson said. “They don’t really have a pigeon you can really pick on. If they do, you have to watch film and see where it’s at. They’re all like-sized, and they can switch.”
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