NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Three games into the new season, the Pelicans find themselves in a position all too familiar: Without an injured Zion Williamson as a losing streak grows.
New Orleans remained winless Monday night (Oct. 27), falling to the visiting Boston Celtics, 122-90, after their star forward was ruled out shortly before tipoff because of a bone bruise in his left foot.
The Celtics (1-3) outscored the Pelicans 20-2 over the final 6:23 of the fourth quarter to cruise to their first victory of the season, dropping the Pelicans to 0-3 in the process.
After taking a 5-3 lead less than four minutes into the game, Boston never trailed again. The closest New Orleans got was a four-point deficit with 4:15 left in the third quarter and a six-point deficit with 10:35 left in the game.
The Celtics manhandled the Pelicans despite also laboring without their best player. Forward Jayson Tatum is likely out for the season as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon sustained five months ago in a playoff game against New York.
In the absence of Williamson, guard Jordan Poole led the Pelicans with 22 points, though he shot 5 for 14 from the floor. Rookie backcourt mate Jeremiah Fears tallied only two points, on 1-for-11 shooting in 27 minutes.
Derik Queen scored 12 and Saddiq Bey, Herb Jones and Yves Missi added 11 each for the Pelicans.
Anfernee Simons scored 25 points off the bench to lead the Celtics. Boston also got 18 points from Payton Pritchard, 16 from Luka Garza, and 15 apiece from Josh Minott and Jaylen Brown.
Williamson, 25, averaged 27 points, 9.5 rebounds and six assists in New Orleans’ first two games, which were losses at Memphis and home to San Antonio.
Now in his sixth season, Williamson has played 61 games or more just twice in his career. He played only 30 games last season.
Williamson’s status is uncertain for the Pelicans’ next game, when they take on Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in Denver on Wednesday night.
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