After enduring two losses in their last three outings, the Boston Celtics thrilled their fans with a nail-biting finish on Saturday. They managed to edge past the New Orleans Pelicans in a 120-119 victory at TD Garden. The game saw an exceptional performance from Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who led his team to triumph despite the return of Zion Williamson to the Pelicans’ lineup after serving his one-game suspension.

The victory improved Boston’s record to 28-11, solidifying their position as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Pelicans, despite delivering one of their better performances this season, could not overcome their challenges. They now sit at the bottom of the Western Conference with a struggling 8-32 record.

Jayson Tatum Leads Celtics To Thrilling Win Over Pelicans

Jayson Tatum delivered an outstanding performance, leading Boston to victory with a game-high 38 points. In addition to his scoring, Tatum contributed 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. Despite missing two crucial free throws late in the game, Tatum’s relentless effort carried the Celtics to the win. This marked Tatum’s 17th 30-point game of the season.

Jayson Tatum tonight:

38 Points
11 Rebounds
1 Assist
1 Steal
1 Block pic.twitter.com/1Uy70CCZL5

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 13, 2025

Tatum also reached a historic milestone during the game. The Celtics star has become the third-youngest player in NBA history to achieve 12,000 points, 4,000 rebounds, and 2,000 assists, trailing only LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Celtics had a balanced effort from their supporting cast, even as their three-point shooting struggled at just 29.5% (13/44). Jaylen Brown added 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while Kristaps Porzingis chipped in 19 points and 11 rebounds. Payton Pritchard and Al Horford also made valuable contributions off the bench, scoring 11 points each.

For the Pelicans, Trey Murphy III led the charge with 30 points and seven rebounds, while Dejounte Murray added 26 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. After returning to the lineup, Zion Williamson had a respectable outing with 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

Looking ahead, the Celtics will face the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Pelicans will take on the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.