After an 0-3 skid that marked their worst opening in 12 years, the 2025-26 Boston Celtics detonated Monday night in New Orleans, blasting the winless Pelicans 122-90 behind a rookie-fueled explosion and a ruthless fourth-quarter blitz.
Six Celtics reached double figures, but the bench brigade stole the show. Anfernee Simons erupted for a game-high 25 points off the pine, draining 6-of-13 from deep—including three triples in a 25-2 closing surge that buried New Orleans for good. Fourth-year wing Josh Minott, in his first career start, dominated with 15 points, nine boards, and a jaw-dropping +42 net rating over 28 minutes, outscoring the Pelicans by himself in stretches.
Payton Pritchard sliced through the lane for 18 points and eight dimes, while bigs Neemias Queta (seven offensive rebounds, four blocks) and Luka Garza (16 points, 3-for-4 from three in his first makes as a Celtic) feasted inside. Boston outrebounded New Orleans 54-35 and limited them to 11 offensive boards on 59 misses—without Zion Williamson suiting up for the hosts.
The Celtics survived early Pelicans punches, including an 8-0 spurt sparked by 37-year-old DeAndre Jordan’s throwback dunks, but Minott slammed the door. The 22-year-old athletic freak opened with a lob slam six seconds in, then ignited a 90-second sequence in the second quarter: layup, defensive board, Trey Murphy III block, and a corner three. He later stole a Saddiq Bey pass for a fast-break flush, pushing Boston’s lead back to double digits en route to a 65-54 halftime edge.
New Orleans clawed within four in the third, but second-year wing Baylor Scheierman—barely used in the first four games—sparked the counterpunch. He scooped a loose ball for a Sam Hauser second-chance triple, then buried his first bucket of the season from 28 feet. Hauser drew a charge, and Derrick White rejected Jordan mid-air despite a seven-inch height disadvantage, igniting the decisive 31-4 finish—all without Jaylen Brown, who watched the fourth quarter from the bench after fouling out with 10:12 left.
Brown, questionable with a hamstring tweak, still posted 15 points (5-of-9), seven rebounds, and four assists before a technical foul underscored his frustration with the whistles. Head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the collective effort: “We played well-connected basketball—getting stops, keeping them off the line, and executing.”
Embed X: https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1982979283535421776/video/1
Minott earned the start over Hugo Gonzalez and Hauser after a 10-point, two-steal burst in Sunday’s loss at Detroit. Mazzulla’s third different lineup in four games paid off instantly, with the rookie’s preseason promise translating to regular-season thunder.
Defensive rebounding, a glaring 0-3 weakness, flipped Monday. The Pelicans managed just 11 offensive boards (three in garbage time), a far cry from Williamson’s five-per-game average in his two contests.
Boston’s backcourt remains ice-cold from three—White (1-for-9), Pritchard (2-for-7), and the guard trio at 25.6% entering the night—but Pritchard’s mid-range touch (5-for-8 inside the arc) and Simons’ barrage compensated. The Celtics, yet to shoot 35% from deep in any game, finally found rhythm when it mattered most.
The 1-3 champs return to TD Garden Wednesday to face the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers, riding rookie fire and a 32-point blowout that signals the fury is back.