By Eric Jay Santos
On Friday, the New Orleans Pelicans faced a 118-116 loss to the Boston Celtics. Zion Williamson was inactive due to a non-COVID illness.
With Williamson out of action, Trey Murphy III scored a season-high 40 points on 75-percent field goal shooting. CJ McCollum and Jose Alvarado combined for 37 points. Unfortunately, Dejounte Murray suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in the first quarter.
Jaylen Brown registered 28 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while Jayson Tatum totaled 27 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds for the Celtics. Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White combined for 32 points.
Trailing by a few possessions for most of the second half, the Pelicans battled to a 114-114 tie with less than two minutes of regulation. At the 34-second mark, Brown made a midrange fadeaway jumper to give Boston a two-point lead. McCollum followed up with a driving floating jumper at 24 seconds, tying the game. Tatum then hit a contested, game-winning fadeaway jump shot in the final seconds, closing the door on a Pelicans comeback.
Although Murphy’s 40-point performance was squandered by the Celtics’ dramatic victory, Brown acknowledged the Pelicans guard’s growth.
“He’s worked on his game, and he’s putting people on notice and getting better,” Brown said at postgame availability. “Teams like us have had to adjust while the game is going on because his skill level has increased.”
New Orleans now holds a 12-37 season record. They are on a five-game losing streak.