Celtics vs Pelicans Player Stats: How Boston’s Record 3-Point Night Led to a 144-118 Win
On April 10, 2026, the Boston Celtics hosted the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden, and the game turned into one of the most impressive shooting shows of the whole NBA season. Boston won 144-118, and the final score does not even tell the full story. The Celtics tied an NBA record for three-pointers made in a single game, and they did it while missing their star player, Jayson Tatum. If you are looking for a full breakdown of the celtics vs new orleans pelicans match player stats, this article covers everything you need to know, from the top scorers to the smaller details that shaped the result.
This win was not just about one big game from one player. It was a total team effort from Boston, mixed with a heartbreaking night for a Pelicans team that was already missing several key starters. Let’s go through the game step by step.
Quick Game Summary
Before we look at individual stats, here is the basic information about the match.
- Date: April 10, 2026
- Location: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
- Final Score: Boston Celtics 144, New Orleans Pelicans 118
- Result: This win helped the Celtics clinch the Atlantic Division title and the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference
- Record after the game: Celtics improved to 56-26, while the Pelicans fell to 26-56
The Celtics came out strong from the very start. By the end of the first quarter, Boston already led by a big margin, and the gap only grew from there. New Orleans tried to fight back in the fourth quarter, but by then the game was already decided.
Boston’s Historic Three-Point Shooting
The biggest story of the night was Boston’s shooting from beyond the arc. The Celtics made 29 three-pointers in this single game, which tied the all-time NBA record. This means Boston shared this achievement with only a small group of teams in league history, including the Memphis Grizzlies and the Milwaukee Bucks, who also hit 29 threes in a game in past seasons.
What made this even more impressive is how efficient Boston was. The team shot close to 49 percent from three-point range, which is an extremely high number for a game with so many attempts. It was not one or two players carrying the load either. Eight different Celtics players made at least two three-pointers each. This kind of balanced shooting is hard for any defense to stop, because the other team never knows who will get hot next.
Boston also came out firing right from the opening minutes. In the first quarter alone, the team made 10 of 18 three-point attempts. That early hot streak helped Boston build a 44-25 lead heading into the second quarter, and the Pelicans never really recovered from that early hole.
Top Celtics Player Performances
Let’s look at the players who led Boston to this big win.
Sam Hauser: The Standout Performer
Sam Hauser had the best game of anyone on the court. He finished with 24 points, and he made eight three-pointers on his own. That is a huge number for one player in a single game, and it shows how locked in he was from the outside all night long. His shooting alone was enough to change the entire pace of the game and force the Pelicans defense to spread out and try to guard him everywhere on the floor.
Jaylen Brown Made an Impact in Limited Minutes
Jaylen Brown added 23 points, and what makes this stat even more impressive is that he only played 29 minutes. Because the Celtics had such a big lead, the coaching staff decided to rest him for the entire fourth quarter. This shows that Brown was scoring efficiently and quickly, without needing a full game to reach his point total.
Payton Pritchard’s All-Around Game
Payton Pritchard put together one of his best games of the season. He scored 21 points and also handed out 10 assists, which means he reached a double-double. On top of that, he grabbed 3 rebounds and added 1 steal. His three-point shooting was also excellent, as he made 5 of 9 attempts from deep. Pritchard finished the game with a plus-minus rating of plus-29, which was the highest on the team. This number shows just how much better Boston played whenever Pritchard was on the court.
Throughout this season, Pritchard has become known mostly for his ability to drive into the paint and finish tough shots near the basket. In this game, though, he showed a different side of his game by knocking down shots from three-point range at a very high rate.
Neemias Queta’s Historic Night
Neemias Queta only played 13 minutes, but he still had a memorable game. He scored 7 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and added 2 assists. The most special part of his night was hitting his first career three-pointer. Beyond that shot, Queta also reached a rare career milestone. He became the first Celtics player to record at least 100 blocks, 600 rebounds, and 60 steals in a single season since Robert Parish did it back in the 1990-91 season. That is a strong comparison to make, since Parish is considered one of the greatest centers in Celtics history.
New Orleans Pelicans Player Stats
The Pelicans were already dealing with a tough situation before the game even started. The team was missing several important players, including Zion Williamson, who was out with a right knee issue, along with Herb Jones and Saddiq Bey, who were both given rest. Trey Murphy III was out with a right ankle sprain, and Dejounte Murray was sidelined with a bruised left hand. With so many regular starters unavailable, New Orleans had to rely heavily on younger and less experienced players.
Jeremiah Fears Shines Despite the Loss
Even with the lopsided final score, one Pelicans player stood out in a big way. Rookie guard Jeremiah Fears had an outstanding individual performance, scoring 31 points. He shot 11 for 24 from the field, made 2 of 8 three-point attempts, and was very efficient at the free-throw line, making 7 of 11 free throws. For a rookie to score 31 points against a team playing as well as Boston was that night is a very strong sign for his future development.
Fears kept fighting even as the score got out of hand, and his effort was one of the only bright spots for New Orleans fans watching the game. His scoring output showed real confidence and skill, especially considering how many veteran teammates were missing from the lineup.
Team Stats Comparison
Looking beyond individual players, the team stats also help explain how this game played out.
- Rebounds: Both teams actually grabbed the exact same number of rebounds, at 44 each. This is a surprising stat, since Boston dominated in almost every other area.
- Assists: The Pelicans finished with 22 assists, which is a solid number, but it was still lower than Boston’s ball movement, which fed their historic three-point shooting night.
- Turnovers: Both teams committed the same number of turnovers, showing that ball security was not the biggest factor in the final result.
- Three-Point Shooting: This is where the game was truly decided. Boston’s 29 made threes on high efficiency shooting completely separated the two teams.
These numbers show that the Pelicans actually competed well in certain areas, like rebounding and taking care of the ball. The real difference came from Boston’s shooting performance, which was simply on another level that night.
How the Game Unfolded
The game did not start as a blowout. Both teams traded baskets in the opening minutes. However, the Pelicans began missing shots while Boston kept knocking down three after three. This led to a 15-2 scoring run for the Celtics, which opened up a 24-11 lead early in the first quarter.
From that point on, Boston never let up. The lead grew to 44-25 by the end of the first quarter, and it kept expanding through the second quarter as well. By halftime, the outcome of the game already felt certain, even though there was still a full half left to play.
In the fourth quarter, the Pelicans did show some fight. They put together a 16-4 run to try to make the score more respectable, and this run is part of the reason the final margin was 144-118 instead of an even bigger gap. Still, Boston’s coaching staff felt comfortable enough with the lead to rest key players like Jaylen Brown for the entire final period.
What This Win Means for Both Teams
For the Boston Celtics, this win was a big deal beyond just the box score. It officially clinched the Atlantic Division title for the team and locked in the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Heading into the postseason, showing this kind of offensive firepower, especially without a top player like Jayson Tatum on the floor, is a strong confidence booster.
For the New Orleans Pelicans, the season has clearly been a struggle, especially with so many injuries piling up. Falling to 26-56 confirms that this year has not gone the way the team hoped. However, seeing young talent like Jeremiah Fears step up and score 31 points against a top team gives Pelicans fans a reason for hope going into next season.
Final Thoughts
This matchup between the Celtics and Pelicans will be remembered mainly for Boston’s record-tying three-point shooting performance. Sam Hauser led the way with a career-type shooting night, Jaylen Brown scored efficiently in limited minutes, Payton Pritchard filled up the stat sheet with points and assists, and Neemias Queta made franchise history in just 13 minutes on the floor. On the other side, Jeremiah Fears gave Pelicans fans something exciting to watch, even in a difficult loss.
Games like this show why player stats matter so much in basketball. A final score only tells part of the story, but looking closely at individual performances helps explain exactly how and why a team wins or loses on any given night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who scored the most points in the Celtics vs Pelicans game on April 10, 2026?
Sam Hauser led all scorers for Boston with 24 points, and he made eight three-pointers. On the Pelicans side, rookie Jeremiah Fears led his team with 31 points.
How many three-pointers did the Boston Celtics make in this game?
The Celtics made 29 three-pointers, which tied the all-time NBA record for most made threes in a single game.
Why were so many Pelicans players missing from this game?
The Pelicans were without several key players due to injuries and rest days. Zion Williamson was out with a right knee issue, Herb Jones and Saddiq Bey were resting, Trey Murphy III had a right ankle sprain, and Dejounte Murray had a bruised left hand.
