The Celtics and Pelicans have been connected through Anthony Davis trade rumors for over a year at this point, and that likely won't change any time soon. But on Monday night the two teams will actually meet on the court.
It's an interesting matchup, as both teams find themselves struggling to live up to expectations. The Celtics have lost four of their last five games, while the Pelicans are riding a three-game losing streak, and each team enters the contest at 10-10. For Boston, that's good enough for a tie for sixth in the East, while the Pels are hanging on to the eighth spot in the West.
Each squad will be eager to pick up a win to try and get back on track.
How to watch Celtics at Pelicans
- Date: Monday, Nov. 26
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Smoothie King Center -- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Streaming: fuboTV (free trial - NBA League Pass add-on available)
- Live stats: GameTracker
- Odds: Pelicans -2
Odds and analysis
Check Sportsline's NBA pick sheet for all your daily odds.
Storylines
Celtics: The Celtics have struggled all season long, but the past week or so has been especially difficult. They've lost four of their last five games, with the only win coming against the lowly Hawks. The offense has been awful, as they don't get to the rim or free throw line enough, and haven't been making the open shots they do create. Brad Stevens has tried switching up the lineup, and he'll be forced to make changes once again with Jaylen Brown out for this game.
Pelicans: This has been a roller coaster season for the Pelicans. After starting out the season 4-0, they lost their next six games. From that point they rattled off six wins in seven tries, but are now stuck on another losing streak, having dropped three in a row. Anthony Davis has been tremendous as always, and the offense has been unstoppable at times. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to stop anyone, as they enter Monday's game with the 27th ranked defense in the league.
Game prediction, pick
It's a contrast in styles in this contest, as the Celtics boast a great defense but terrible offense, while it's the opposite for the Pelicans. With the Pels favored by just two points at home, this is essentially a toss-up. Considering the game is in New Orleans, and the Celtics haven't shown the ability to take advantage of a bad Pelicans defense, we'll take Anthony Davis and Co. to cover this one.