Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NBA match.
The New Orleans Pelicans and the Boston Celtics are among the few teams yet to claim their first win of the regular season. Clearly, neither side are happy with that situation, but after this game, only one set of fans will be celebrating.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans have lost their biggest advantage ahead of this matchup — their frontcourt. Yves Missi has joined Kevon Looney on the injury list, leaving the team without its two best centres. This forces the Pelicans to play the Celtics’ way, which is a worrying prospect. Everyone knows that Jordan Poole offers little resistance on defence, and that could prove costly.
Boston Celtics
Why mention Poole? Because after a major summer reshuffle, the Celtics now have no choice but to rely entirely on their star players for offence. They all excel from beyond the arc, and Poole will have to guard them. If the Celtics find open space, it could get ugly. Jaylen Brown scored 41 points against the Detroit Pistons in the last game, while Payton Pritchard and Derrick White are averaging 15 and 18.3 points respectively.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Boston Celtics Prediction
The Boston Celtics’ strength remains in perimeter shooting and guard scoring — precisely where the New Orleans Pelicans struggle most. The Celtics should capitalise on this and secure their first win of the season.
