Final: Pelicans 116, Celtics 113 (OT)

The Celtics lived and ultimately died by the 3-ball on Tuesday night. Kyrie Irving missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with five seconds remaining in overtime, and the Pelicans snapped Boston's seven-game winning streak with a 116-113 overtime win.

Anthony Davis put on a show for the Garden crowd, piling up a game-high 45 points and 16 rebounds in the win for the Pelicans. Irving (team-high 27 points points) sent the game to overtime with a game-tying layup with 11 seconds remaining in regulation. However, Boston's star point guard struggled in overtime (1-of-4) and shooting overall on the night (8-of-24), and he was largely responsible for the the Celtics blowing a five-point lead with two minutes remaining in regulation. 

Before that, the Celtics rode the 3-ball to get themselves back in the game, going 13-of-27 from beyond the arc after halftime to help erase a 12-point Pelicans lead. Boston's inside struggles (21-of-51 shooting inside the arc) ultimately kept them from keeping pace with the high-powered Pelicans offense.

Third Quarter Notes

• After a woeful shooting half, the Celtics finally came alive from beyond the arc. They made eight 3-point field goals in the frame, which helped them completely erase the Pelicans 10-point halftime lead at one point.


• Kyrie Irving came out of his slumber to score a team-high 16 points in the quarter, but Davis and Jrue Holiday remained almost just as shot, both scoring 12 points in the frame by themselves.


• Pelicans closed out the quarter with an 11-4 run to build the lead back up to seven.


• Lots of questionable decisions in transition by both teams, leading to ugly turnovers on alley-oops, as the game was played at a frantic pace for most of the frame.

• Just a very uneven half for the Celtics. Lots of turnovers out of the gate that helped the Pelicans jump out to an early lead and the Celtics spend most of the first 24 minutes fight uphill


• Anthony Davis put on a show, demonstrating why he should be one of the most sought after players in the league if he’s ever put on the trade market. The All-Star piled up 25 points and eight rebounds in the first half, dominanting pretty much everyone (Marcus Morris, Semi Ojeleye, Al Horford, Daniel Theis) the Celtics tried on him.


• Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving had his worst offensive half in months, going 0-of-5 from the field in just 16 minutes and scoring three points.


• Marcus Morris got into a couple grooves in the second quarter which helped the Celtics stay in the game with their shot (35 percent in half) not falling.


• Ugly 3-point shooting in the first half (26 percent) continuing a slumping trend from this group from deep over the last few weeks.


• Saw the worst side of the bench shooters, as Rozier (3-of-7) and Smart (2-of-7) both got a little too shot happy at points.


• Pelicans nearly scored on all of Boston’s eight turnovers (14 points).

• Jayson Tatum is expected to play after missing some practice time with a sore left knee. He suffered the injury during Thursday's win over the Sixers.


• The Celtics will be playing their just their second game in 10 days on Tuesday night after a lengthy break following the team's game in London last Thursday. Brad Stevens isn't concerned about rust ahead of the matchup: "I don't worry about things I can't control," he said at practice Monday. "It's all part of it. I think it's better to have the appropriate amount of time off after you travel abroad than worry about the rust."


• Three former Celtics are suiting up for the Pelicans this year (Rajon Rondo, E'Twaun Moore and Tony Allen). Allen will not play on Tuesday night due to a leg injury.


• Stevens on the Pelicans potent frontcourt of Davis and Cousins: "I just think you have two of the best bigs in the league playing next to each other. Both are supremely skilled. DeMarcus plays at the top of the key a lot with the ball. He’s an isolation matchup problem there as well as the block. And his ability to pass the ball and kinda initiate offense has allowed them to play on a bunch of different unique actions with another big. And obviously Davis, his ability to score the ball, his ability to roll to the rim in transition, all that stuff. They’re both very very good."