Entering the gauntlet of this NBA season, the New Orleans Pelicans salvaged a 1-1 record from weekend play after a dominant 108-89 victory over the Boston Celtics at the Smoothie King Center on Sunday.
Prior to tip-off, point guard Kyrie Irving was ruled out by the Boston Celtics due to left knee soreness, joining Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown on their sidelines. Even so, the Celtics opened the game with a 10-4 start and summoned the presence of poise within New Orleans. In particular, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Morris got off to fast starts, propelling the Celtics to a 28-20 lead at the end of the first quarter.