Final: Celtics 120, Pelicans 119 - C's crumble down the stretch but hang on

BOSTON CELTICS (27-11) vs. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (8-31) 

TD Garden, 6 p.m. - NBCS Boston

Line: Celtics -14.5

INJURIES

Boston: Drew Peterson (OUT, concussion protocol)

New Orleans: Brandon Ingram (OUT, ankle), Herb Jones (OUT, shoulder), Keion Brooks Jr. (OUT, not with team)

THINGS I’M LOOKING FOR

1: Swarm Zion Williamson: Keep him out of the paint and keep the ball out of his hands. He wants to attack and we all know it, so they need to build the wall in front of him, show help, blitz him from the weak side, and make his life hell. I don’t think he’s fully committed to the Pelicans, so I think he’s going to want to do things his way. Take that away from him and I bet he gets frustrated. 

2: Attack the closeouts: Before the game, coach Willie Green said the Pels need to close out faster against a team that wants to shoot like Boston. Considering their lack of rim protection, there could be a lot of early opportunities to attack and score. But don't fall in love with attacking if the Pelicans change their defense. Be sure to exploit whatever they're trying

3: Finish strong: This could mean the third quarter in today’s game, but if for some reason the game is still within reach in the fourth (Yes, I’m assuming Boston will have a lead going into the fourth), then Boston has to put the Pels away instead of playing with their food. 

Follow along with my thoughts as the game goes on. They’ll show up below and in the comments section, so hop in and share your opinion as well.