20151207-BOSNOP

Marc D'Amico

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NEW ORLEANS – Isaiah Thomas went and did it again.

And by “it,” we mean annihilate a team during the opening 24 minutes of a game.

Thomas scored 19 points during the first-half alone Monday night in New Orleans, powering the Celtics to a nine-point halftime lead and an eventual 111-93 victory.

The performance marked the second time in Boston’s last three games that the electric point guard scored 19 points during the first half.

“The ball was going in the basket, I was in the right position in the offense, teammates found me, and I just made plays,” a modest Thomas said after the game.  “That’s what it was.”

It is incredibly rare for a Celtic to catch fire the way Thomas did Monday night, let alone to do so twice in a three-game span.  There have been only 16 instances in Boston’s last 378 games – that’s 0.04 percent of the time – that one of its players has scored at least 19 points during the first half of a game, according to Elias Sports Bureau.  Thomas did it twice in five days.

Each of these 19-point halves were attained in eerily similar fashion.  On both occasions, Thomas canned eight field goals and three 3-pointers during the opening 24 minutes.

Monday’s effort, however, was even more impressive than Thursday’s against Sacramento.

Thomas lit the Kings up with an 8-of-13 shooting performance during the first half that included a 3-of-5 effort from long range.  This time around, the point guard made the basket look as large as the ocean while shooting with nearly perfect precision.  He nailed eight of his nine shots and all three of his 3-pointers during the first half against New Orleans.

Asked how it felt to be in such a zone, Thomas replied by saying, “It feels pretty good.”

It would have felt even better, he said half-jokingly, if he had been a bit more selfish with the ball.

“I should have shot more,” he said with a laugh.  Thomas later added, “Maybe if I shot more I would’ve felt like, ‘Dang, I’m feeling it today.’”

The rest of the Celtics sure felt like Thomas was feeling it and that’s why they continued to feed him.  Three different teammates assisted on at least one of his first-half buckets while Thomas attempted a team-high nine shots.

“He’s one of those guys that can go off for 10 or 12 in a couple of minutes,” said teammate Kelly Olynyk, who assisted on one of Thomas’ baskets.  “It’s huge to have that kind of threat.”

Huge, as in game-changing.  Monday’s shooting performance by Thomas was the sole reason why Boston took a comfortable nine-point lead into halftime.  He shot 88.9 percent from the field while his teammates made only 37.5 percent of their shot attempts.  His 19 points accounted for more than one-third of the team’s total heading into the locker rooms.

“He kind of kept us afloat there when things started going awry,” Stevens said of Thomas.  “We put him right back in, and he scored it.”

A player who can do such a thing is called a “stopper” in the NBA.  He is the answer to another team’s run, a guy who can make big shots to close a game out.

Thomas is that type of player, and that’s why Stevens called his number with 4:47 left in the game while Boston led by 20 points.

“I just like to close out the game,” Stevens said of the decision to re-insert Thomas.  “I don’t know much about the NBA, but I know nothing is safe.”

Boston’s lead was safe once Thomas checked back into the game.  He went and scored 19 points during the first half  again Monday night to help the Celtics build a comfortable lead.  He wasn’t about to let it slip away.

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Deja Vu: Thomas Logs 19-Point Half, Leads C's to W

Taylor Snow

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The Boston Celtics opened up Monday’s contest in New Orleans with a bit of a struggle. Their thriving offense hit just eight of their first 24 shots from the field, including an 0-for-5 start to the second quarter.

They needed a boost at that point, and they got two: One from the tallest player on the court and one from the smallest.

Kelly Olynyk and Isaiah Thomas took turns putting the C’s on their backs during the second quarter and they combined to make 9-of-13 attempts from the floor during that frame.

They each went on individual seven-point runs during the second, and helped Boston slip away for an eventual 111-93 win.

The C’s were trailing, 32-27, three minutes into the second quarter when Olynyk and Thomas took charge and scored Boston’s next 18 points.

The only problem was that New Orleans stuck with them through that entire run. Boston erased the five-point deficit, but was knotted up in a 45-45 tie sixteen points into Thomas and Olynyk’s impressive run.

That’s when the C’s defense kicked in. Following Thomas’ game-tying jump-floater, the Celtics forced Tyreke Evans to turn the ball over on three consecutive possessions, which covered a span of just 45 seconds.

After Evans committed his second turnover, Thomas hit a triple that put the Celtics up 45-42 with 3:09 left in the second quarter. They would not relinquish that lead for the rest of the game.

Amir Johnson followed Thomas’ bucket with a hook shot, and then fed Jae Crowder with a beautiful backdoor pass for a reverse layup on Boston’s next possession.

The C’s hit five of their last six shots of the quarter, while the Pelicans did the opposite, making just 1-of-6 from the field during that span.

That was enough to give the Celtics a nine-point cushion heading into halftime, and they continued to break free for the third win of their five-game road trip.

The C's were searching to set an offensive tone during the opening half of Monday night's game in New Orleans, and Isaiah Thomas helped them do so with a 12-point second quarter effort.

Boston’s point guard scored 19 of his 22 points during the opening half and finished the game with a 9-of-13 shooting performance from the field. He added a team-high five assists and turned the ball over just once during 30-plus minutes of play.

Thomas also displayed perfection from downtown, hitting all four of his 3-point attempts.

Some of his most impressive shooting, however, came from inside the arc, as the 5-foot-9 guard went right at New Orleans’ elite shot blocker Anthony Davis on multiple occasions.

Thomas began the game with two driving layups right past Davis, and later hit a pair of jump-floaters from the free throw line. Davis – who entered the game as the second-leading shot-blocker in the league – could not get his fingertips on any of Thomas’ attempts, despite having a one-foot height advantage.

Boston’s little guy showed tonight that his lack of height isn’t much of an obstacle at all on the offensive end.

Isaiah Thomas on Boston limiting Anthony Davis.

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Keys to the Game: Celtics 111, Pelicans 93

Pregame - Young May Finally Get His Chance in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS – Tonight could be the night – the night you finally see extended minutes from James Young.

Young was a topic of interest ahead of tonight’s Celtics game in New Orleans due to issues that have shortened Boston’s roster.

David Lee (bruised right heel) and R.J. Hunter (left hip flexor strain) are both out due to injuries.  Avery Bradley, meanwhile, is active but battling through an illness.

Stevens divulged that Tyler Zeller and Kelly Olynyk will likely see an increase in minutes due to Lee’s absence.  Stevens would not commit to a name to fill in for Hunter at shooting guard, saying “in the backcourt we’ll see,” but he did hint that Young could be the guy.

“He could play tonight because he’s done everything we’ve asked and he’s done really well in practice,” said Stevens.  “He had a great shootaround this morning, did well (in practice) yesterday.”

Young’s development has largely been behind closed doors.  He has played a total of only nine minutes this season and spent much of his time with the Maine Red Clawes, where he has flourished.  But Celtics fans have yet to see how he has progressed in terms of taking on NBA talent.

Stevens says that the 20-year-old is on the right track.

“James is in a good place with his improvement,” Stevens said, “and I know that it’s easy to gauge somebody’s contributions by minutes played.  It’s a lot harder to do it when they’re not playing as much.”

Tonight, Young’s contributions may be brought to the forefront.  He may finally get an opportunity to give the Celtics quality minutes when they need them.

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DraftKings Post-Ups: Young May Get His Chance Tonight

NEW ORLEANS – Brad Stevens said Sunday afternoon that the NBA is not about who you play, but when you play them.

In other words, no one wants to play against a team that is riding momentum.

The Boston Celtics hope to be riding a wave of momentum when they fly back to Boston late tonight.  They are set to conclude their five-game road trip at 8 p.m. in New Orleans.

Boston has gone 2-2 thus far on the trip, with an impressive triumph against the East-leading Heat and a narrow defeat to the 17-4 Spurs.  The team believes a win over the Pelicans would boost them toward matchups with two of the NBA’s elite later this week.

“We want to end this five-game road trip 3-2,” Evan Turner said at Monday morning’s shootaround.  “(We need) momentum going into playing Chicago on Wednesday and Golden State Friday and Charlotte (on Saturday) … We need to keep clicking and keep building momentum.”

Stevens believes that momentum has been building for Boston despite a 2-2 record on this road trip.  He likes what he has seen over the past four games.

“I think with considering that you’re playing five games on the road, you’re all over the place,” he said, “we’ve done a lot of good things thus far.”

Many of those good things have been at the offensive end of the floor.  Boston has scored at least 105 points during each of its last three games, including 105 points against both the Spurs and Heat, who rank first and second in the league in defensive efficiency.

Offense could be what sparks the Celtics yet again tonight.  New Orleans ranks last in the NBA in defensive efficiency, allowing 108.6 points per 100 possessions, and 26th in opponent field goal percentage (46.2 percent).

While offense may be at the forefront of tonight’s game, the Celtics hope that strong play at both ends of the court can help them to grab a win.  They know that they need a W heading into matchups with Chicago and Golden State

With that being said, they are doing their best to keep their eyes on the task at hand rather than looking forward to their two primetime matchups later this week.

“Start with New Orleans,” Stevens said of his team’s mindset.  “Focus one (game) at a time, one minute at a time, one possession at a time.  Otherwise, it’s a heck of a stretch.”

Turner, unknowingly, echoed his coach’s views just moments later.

“Just take it one game at a time and make the most of each game,” Turner said.  “We had a tough loss last game in San Antonio, and Orlando was a tough loss too.  Right now, it’s all about tonight and trying to take a step forward.”

And, simultaneously, try to take a step onto a wave of momentum.

The Celtics’ five-game road trip has been daunting.  It has included three games against plus-.500 teams, including two of the top three in the league, and a ridiculous travel schedule.  Heading back to Boston with a 3-2 record would be an accomplishment that no one would scoff at.

In fact, it might even be an accomplishment that would strike a hint of fear into Boston’s upcoming opponents.

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C's Seek Momentum Ahead of Primetime Matchups

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Here are five things to watch out for when the Boston Celtics and the New Orleans Pelicans meet at 8 p.m. tonight at Smoothie King Center.

The Boston Celtics have not finished off a five-game road trip with a winning record since the 2009-10 season. They’ll have a chance to accomplish that feat tonight in New Orleans.

The C’s will be looking for their third win of this trip and a continuation of their thriving offense.

Boston displayed outstanding ball movement over the last four games, averaging 26.8 assists per contest. Its rhythmic passing led it to score 103.8 points per game during that stretch, including 100-plus-point efforts against the top two defenses in the league: San Antonio and Miami.

The C’s offense will face a much different style of defense tonight, however, and it should play out in their favor.

Boston will transition from facing San Antonio’s league-best defense Saturday night, to New Orleans’ league-worst defense tonight.

The Pelicans are allowing a league-high 109.0 points per game and claim the NBA’s worst defensive rating (108.6). They’ve held opponents under 100 points just twice this season.

Considering the fact that Boston’s flourishing offense just put up 105 points against the top defense in the league, it should easily be able to cash in with a boatload of points tonight in New Orleans.

New Orleans has Solid Resume Against Top Dogs

The Pelicans’ lowly defense has resulted in a dismal 5-15 record. Only the Lakers, at 3-17, sit below them in the Western Conference standings.

That being said, New Orleans comes to play against the league’s top competition. During November, it notched a 14-point win over Dallas and a 15-point win against San Antonio. The Pelicans added to that list Friday night when they put LeBron James’ 23-point fourth quarter effort to waste with a 114-108 overtime win over the Cavaliers.

It’s evident that New Orleans can beat any team in this league, so don’t let its bleak record fool you.

The reason New Orleans is capable of beating any squad in the NBA is because of its game-changing centerpiece, Anthony Davis.

The 22-year-old forward is fresh off a 31-point, 12-rebound, four-steal performance against Cleveland Friday night.

Davis tends to bring the heat against top competition, and particularly against the Celtics. He has averaged 24.2 PPG against Boston during his career, which is his highest mark against an Eastern Conference opponent. During Davis’ last three games against the C’s, he has averaged 34.3 PPG and 14.7 rebounds per game.

One aspect of Davis’ game that the Celtics have yet to see is his improved 3-point shooting. He’s deepened his range this season and has hit 12-of-32 3-point attempts, after making just 3-of-27 during his first three campaigns.

Steph Curry, Paul George and … Avery Bradley?

Arguably the most improved 3-point shooter in the league, however, will be suiting up for the squad on the visitor’s bench.

Avery Bradley’s 3-point percentage has skyrocketed from 35.2 percent last season to a 44.2 percent clip through the first 20 games of the 2015-16 campaign.

Only Stephen Curry and Paul George boast a higher long-range percentage among players who are attempting at least five treys per game.

That is some very elite company to be a part of.

Bradley has been particularly hot during Boston’s current road trip. He has made 11-of-19 triples during his last three games for a remarkable 57.9 3-point percentage.

AB is currently dealing with an illness and is questionable for tonight’s game.  If he manages to suit up, he will look to add to that impressive 3-point clip when the C’s attempt to close out their lengthy road trip on a high note.

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Watch It! – Celtics at Pelicans

Boston Celtics

The New Orleans Pelicans have struggled to beat most of their opponents this season, but they're at least starting to figure out how to compete against some solid competition at home.

The Pelicans try to build on their latest upset Monday night against the visiting Boston Celtics while securing a rare set of back-to-back wins.

New Orleans (5-15) ended a four-game skid by beating Cleveland 114-108 in overtime Friday and held one of the Eastern Conference's top teams to just three points in the extra period. Anthony Davis scored six of the Pelicans' nine points in OT and finished with 31 while pulling down 12 rebounds.

"We've just got to try to find a way to come up with some wins," coach Alvin Gentry said. "To get a quality one like that is good, but for us, it's important to build on this and not take a step backwards. We have to start playing with some consistency from here on."

New Orleans has won three of four at home, including a 104-90 victory against San Antonio on Nov. 20. The Pelicans are averaging 110.1 points at the Smoothie King Center and just 95.8 on the road.

"It just shows that when we play like we're supposed to, we can beat anybody," Davis said. "We've just got to do it against teams that are not the Spurs or not Cleveland. We can't play down to the level of our competition. We've got to make sure we're playing at a high level every game."

New Orleans has won consecutive games just once this season, a three-game streak that begin with the victory over San Antonio.

The Celtics, meanwhile, couldn't rally past the Spurs in a 108-105 loss Saturday, their attempt at a third straight win in the midst of this five-game road trip.

Boston (11-9) was the first team to reach triple digits in San Antonio this season but didn't have enough to erase a 15-point deficit with 7:16 remaining.

"The bottom line is we played really well and gave ourselves a chance to win, but we have to be even better in our margin," coach Brad Stevens said. "I've been very careful in saying, 'If we play well, we will have a chance to win.' And the reality is, we didn't."

Boston swept last season's series against the Pelicans and ended a string of three consecutive losses in New Orleans with a 104-98 victory March 6. Isaiah Thomas had a team-best 27 points, 14 of which came in the fourth quarter.

Jared Sullinger had 27 points and 10 rebounds in a 108-100 home victory Jan. 12, and Jae Crowder matched his career high with 22 points. Sullinger sat out the visit to New Orleans because of a broken foot.

Davis is averaging 34.3 points and 14.7 rebounds in his last three games against Boston. He had 40 points and a career-high 21 boards in a 121-120 overtime victory in New Orleans on March 16, 2014.

20151207‑BOSNOP

Deja Vu: Thomas Logs 19-Point Half, Leads C's to W

Keys to the Game: Celtics 111, Pelicans 93

DraftKings Post-Ups: Young May Get His Chance Tonight

C's Seek Momentum Ahead of Primetime Matchups

Watch It! – Celtics at Pelicans

12/7 Game Preview: Celtics at Pelicans