BOSTON vs NEW ORLEANS 11/26/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview

The BOSTON and the NEW ORLEANS will both be gunning for a victory on 11/26/2018 at 8:05 PM when they meet in a game matchup.

BOSTON CELTICS vs NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Monday, November 26, 2018
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: 1.5
PREDICTION: NEW ORLEANS , BOSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW ORLEANS listed as 1.5 point favorites versus the BOSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 224.

When their offense has struggled, the Boston Celtics have — at times — been able to rely on their defense, but now that’s become an issue as well. The struggling Celtics will try to bounce back from their fourth loss in the last five games when they finish a three-game road trip Monday at the New Orleans Pelicans, who hope to have superstar forward Anthony Davis available.

Boston, considered by many the favorite in the Eastern Conference before the season, lost eight of 12 since a 6-2 start, giving up an uncharacteristic average of 115.7 points in the last three defeats. “I thought we were a step slow all night,” coach Brad Stevens told reporters after Saturday’s 113-104 loss at Dallas. “I thought they put us on our heels. They made a ton of effort plays, they got a bunch to the rim, and then we couldn’t contain the drive … those drives really hurt us. They turned the corner, laid it in, and had a couple of and-1s, lobs … those are just killers.” The Pelicans are more accustomed to giving up loads of points and they struggled without Davis (hip), who ranks second in the NBA in blocks (2.69), in a 124-114 loss at Washington on Saturday. New Orleans has been incredibly streaky thus far and their current three-game slide comes on the heels of a 6-1 stretch.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS Boston, FS New Orleans

ABOUT THE CELTICS (10-10): One issue in Boston’s mediocre start is a slight dip in production from youngsters Jayson Tatum (field-goal percentage down from 47.5 last season to 44.3) and Jaylen Brown (11.1 points on 39.8 percent shooting after 14.5 on 46.5 in 2017-18), but they were not the problem at Dallas with a combined 37 points on 16-of-23 from the floor. Star guard Kyrie Irving added 19 points but missed all five of his 3-point tries and is shooting 36.7 percent over the last three games. Brown is considered day-to-day after he was forced to leave Saturday’s loss after landing on his back.

ABOUT THE PELICANS (10-10): Julius Randle stepped into the starting lineup in place of Davis and had 29 points and 15 rebounds in the defeat at Washington, and New Orleans made no excuses for their leader’s absence. “Our defense is atrocious right now,” coach Alvin Gentry told the media. “Especially on the road. You’re not going to be able to win games on the road until you can at least control the ball somewhat and take away all the driving lanes and take away the open 3s.” The Pelicans are 0-4 while allowing an average of 126 points without Davis in the lineup.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Randle has five double-doubles and a triple-double in the last six games while averaging 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds.

2. Celtics PG Marcus Smart scored a season-high 19 points off the bench at Dallas

3. Davis averaged 39.5 points and 13.5 rebounds to help New Orleans win both meetings last season.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 112, Celtics 110

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