The Boston Celtics (57-16) travel to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans (45-28) on Saturday, March 30th. This game will be played at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans and televised on NBCS. The Pelicans are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Celtics are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Bucks. Tip-off is set for 5:00 ET.

Celtics vs Pelicans

The Celtics Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Most recently, the Celtics lost to the Hawks with a final score of 123-122. Besides losing the game outright, the Celtics also fell short against the spread, failing to cover as -15.5 point favorites. The over/under line entering this matchup was 228.5 points, and both teams achieved a total score that exceeded that line.

Coming into today’s matchup vs. the Pelicans, the Celtics are looking to build on their above .500 record of 57-16. As of now, the team is in 1st place in both the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic division.

Boston has an ATS record of 37-33 so far this season which includes their current two game losing streak vs. the spread. In their last two games as favorites, the Celtics have not been able to cover the spread, and they are 2-1 against the spread when they are underdogs.

The Pelicans Are Coming Off A Win

In their last game, the Pelicans defeated the Bucks with a final score of 107-100. Before the game, the Pelicans were the underdogs with a +2.5 point advantage, securing both a straight-up and ATS victory. When it comes to the over/under, the total of 207 points ended up falling short of the over/under line set at 226.

In their last five games, the Pelicans have gone 3-2 and have an overall record of 45-28. As of now, they are 5th in the Western Conference and are in 1st place in the Southwest division.

New Orleans currently has an ATS record of 40-32, placing them above .500 against the spread. The Pelicans have experienced a two game ATS loss streak as favorites, and they are 17-11 vs. the spread when they are underdogs.

Celtics Offense Breakdown

The Celtics step onto the court for today’s game as one of the NBA’s top-scoring squads, putting up 121.1 points per game (2nd).

When it comes to scoring, the Celtics are one of the most prolific teams in the league, averaging 121.1 points per game (2nd). They have been particularly effective from three-point range, leading the NBA in both three-point makes (16.6) and attempts (42.5) per game.

Overall, the Celtics have been an efficient shooting team, ranking 9th in field goal percentage (48%). They have also been one of the top teams in terms of true shooting percentage (2nd).

On the road, Boston is averaging 119.1 points per game. In terms of pace, they are 19th in the league (97.5).

Pelicans Offense Breakdown

Through 73 games the Pelicans are averaging 115.6 points per contest, placing them 13th in the NBA.

At home, the Pelicans are averaging 116.2 points per game this season, which is 14th in the NBA. Overall, they are 13th in scoring at 115.6 points per game.

When it comes to pace, the Pelicans are 18th in the league at 97.5 possessions per game. In terms of field goal percentage, they are 8th at 48%.

New Orleans is 12th in two-point field goal attempts and 12th in two-point field goal percentage at 55%. From beyond the arc, they are 8th in three-point shooting percentage but just 25th in three-point attempts.

Celtics Team Defense

At this time, the Celtics’ defense is positioned 6th in the NBA, permitting 109.8 points per game. In the terms of takeaways, Celtics are causing 11.4 turnovers per game, ranking 2nd in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 2nd in rejections, averaging 6.5 blocked shots each game.

Pelicans Team Defense

In the current season, the Pelicans defense has excelled, sitting 8th in the NBA by allowing 110.4 points per game. When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Pelicans squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 55.0% inside the arc, and they’re also giving up 34.5% from downtown.

Key Players For The Celtics And Pelicans

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Jayson Tatum will be the primary scorer for the Celtics, with 27 points and going 9/19 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 27.3 points per game, along with 8.2 rebounds.

On the other side, Zion Williamson is our projected leading scorer for the Pelicans. We have him ending the game with a team-high 23 and grabbing 6 rebounds. This season, he has put together a field goal percentage of 58.6%, and he is contributing 22.8 points per game on average.

Celtics vs Pelicans Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Celtics have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 6-4 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 119 points per game in these contests.
• Through their last ten home contests, the Pelicans offense has averaged 111 points per game while allowing an average of 99. New Orleans posted an overall record of 8-2 while going 5-4-1 ATS.
• Through their last five games as the underdog, the Pelicans have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 3-2.
• In their last five contests as the favorite, Boston has a poor record vs the spread going 2-3. But, they still put together a straight up mark of 3-2.

Celtics vs Pelicans Prediction

For a point-spread bet in this Celtics vs. Pelicans matchup, we’re leaning towards the Pelicans at +5.5. Although our projections show the Celtics winning 116-114, we suggest placing your bet on the Pelicans for the point-spread.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 223.5 and our model has the Celtics and Pelicans finishing with a combined 230 points. Our pick is to take the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.