The Boston Celtics are coming off one of their worst shooting performances of the season and will try to avoid a third straight home loss when they face the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.
Boston shot 36 percent from the floor in its 115-96 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. The Celtics missed their first 10 3-point attempts and finished the game 10-of-40 from behind the 3-point arc.
The Clippers used a 21-0 run to build a 36-point lead in the third quarter. Boston’s starters made 13 of 55 shots from the floor and didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
It was Boston’s second consecutive home loss after starting the season 20-0 in home games. The Celtics lost 102-100 to the Denver Nuggets at home on Jan. 19.
The loss to the Clippers came one game after the Celtics shot 63.8 percent in a 143-110 victory at Miami on Thursday. It was their best shooting percentage in a game since 2011.
The Pelicans are coming off an ugly loss as well. New Orleans trailed by 34 at one point during its 141-117 setback at Milwaukee on Saturday.
Brandon Ingram scored 26 points and Zion Williamson had 23 for the Pelicans, who also received 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists from Jonas Valanciunas. Williamson, who is averaging a team-high 21.9 points per contest, returned to the lineup after missing the Pelicans’ 107-83 loss to Oklahoma City on Friday with a bone bruise in his left foot.
Boston center Kristaps Porzingis didn’t play in the Celtics’ loss to the Clippers on Saturday after he sprained his left ankle during the third quarter of Boston’s victory over Miami. Porzingis is averaging 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
