5 takeaways from Celtics’ win over Pelicans, as Jaylen Brown pours in 41 points
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1. What a luxury it must be for Joe Mazzulla to coach a team that employs both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. On Wednesday, Brown carried the Celtics to victory with 41 points on absurdly efficient 15-for-21 shooting — a season-high performance that held the Pelicans at arm’s length for nearly the entire evening.
2. As skilled as both Brown and Tatum are, perhaps no other attribute has grown more over the last few years than their sheer strength. Both have grown adept at bodying opponents out of the way when they get to the rim, which helps their efficiency but also leads to more and-ones.
3. C.J. McCollum kept the Pelicans alive for several quarters. He made his first six shots and scored 22 of his 38 points in the first half.
4. Robert Williams sat out Wednesday’s game as part of an ongoing strategy to rest him on one night when the Celtics have a back-to-back. “Just manage him as much as we can,” Mazzulla said. “He’s coming back good every single day, so it’s really good.”
5. With Smart out, the Celtics spread their playmaking out among several players. Derrick White finished with a team-high six assists, while Tatum, Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Williams, and Horford all added four apiece. The Celtics can often play lineups full of playmakers from 1-5, especially as Williams develops his game as an oddball off-the-dribble threat.