Pelicans Vs. Celtics Player Grades: A Record-tying Performance From 3 Clinches Second-seed

After a gut-wrenching loss to the Knicks on Thursday, the Celtics turned Game #81 into a three-point exhibition, tying their own record for 29 triples in a game and beating the Pelicans 144-118. Jaylen Brown was efficient (but with too many turnovers), Nikola Vucevic stayed on track, Sam Hauser caught fire, and we got to see Luka Garza and Hugo Gonzalez grace the parquet after falling out of the rotation.

With the blowout, Boston officially clinches the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they’ll have to wait to see how the Play-In Tournament plays out next week; they’ll face the winner of the 7-8 game on April 14th. However, we won’t know who those teams are until Sunday, the final day of the regular season. Currently, the Magic will host the 76ers with the Raptors — the current 6th seed — still in the mix.

Boston’s championship odds have remained steady all month with our friends at FanDuel and are +550 to raise Banner 19 and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.

Jaylen Brown

29 minutes, 23 points (2-3 from 3, 5-7 from the free throw line, 8-13 from the field), 3 rebounds, one assist, 7 turnovers, one steal, +24

If we’re going to nitpick what’s most likely JB’s final game of the regular season, the seven turnovers are indicative of his late-season campaign to challenge the officiating and get to the line. Otherwise, he was scoring at all three levels at a high efficiency in a playoff tuneup.

Grade: B+

Jordan Walsh

22 minutes, 6 points (2-4 from 3, 2-4 from the field), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, one steal, one block, -17

After playing a part in the playoff-level win against the Hornets, Joe Mazzulla said, “He just understands that when he’s at his best defensively, he’s impacting the team’s best players, creating turnovers.” Defense has always been his calling card and if the old adage is true about it winning championships, Walsh has clearly solidified his spot in the postseason rotation. If he can continue to hit threes — 5-of-12 over the last six games — even better.

Grade: A

Neemias Queta

13 minutes, 7 points (1-1 from 3, 3-3 from the field), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, one turnover, one block, +13

In a game that was played primarily on the perimeter, Queta’s stat line wasn’t particularly impressive. With the game pretty much out of reach after the first quarter, Queta played only 13 minutes, giving way for more fine tuning for Nikola Vucevic and some Luka Garza playing time.

Oh, and this happened:

Grade: A-

Sam Hauser

28 minutes, 24 points (8-12 from 3, 8-13 from the field), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, +21

If you could bottle up momentum for the postseason, we might need a keg for Wisconsin’s own. On Thursday, it was Baylor Scheierman lighting up MSG. Twenty-four hours later, it was Hauser. Naturally, the Celtics don’t get close to breaking the three-point record without Hauser getting hot behind the arc.

Grade: A+

Derrick White

16 minutes, 9 points (3-9 from 3, 3-9 from the field), 2 rebounds, 5 assists, one turnover, one steal, +18

We’ve largely used this space to do a little handwringing over White’s season-long shooting slump. Another sub-par night in a blowout won’t assuage those concerns, but it also won’t dampen my confidence that he’ll come up clutch next weekend.

Grade: B-

Payton Pritchard

30 minutes, 21 points (5-9 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 7-14 from the field), 3 rebounds, 10 assists, one turnover, one steal, +21

Pritchard has really hit his stride over this final stretch of games. In April, he’s averaging 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. What’s been most impressive has been his playmaking. In the playoffs, teams might try and take the Jays out of the game, so Mazzulla might need the 2026 Auerbach Award winner to take on more of the point guard load.

Grade: A+

Nikola Vucevic

19 minutes, 14 points (3-5 from 3, 1-2 from the free throw line, 5-7 from the field) 4 rebounds, 5 assists, one block, +15

That’s the Vooch that Brad Stevens dealt for at the trade deadline. He’s not exactly Al Horford defensively or Kristaps Porzingis offensively, but if he can consistently hit shots and punish mismatches in the paint, that’ll do wonders for the second unit.

Grade: A-

Baylor Scheierman

25 minutes, 9 points (2-5 from 3, 1-1 from the free throw line, 3-6 from the field), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, one turnover, -5

At the end of the game, Scheierman had a chance to hit the 30th three-pointer that would have given the Celtics the record, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t on-line. However, he did get some floor time with his buddy Hugo Gonzalez.

Grade: B

Hugo Gonzalez

25 minutes, 10 points (2-4 from 3, 4-7 from the field), 4 rebounds, one assist, 3 steals, +11

After five straight games of DNP-CDs and mop up work, we finally got to see Hugo back on the parquet and he didn’t miss a beat. The defense was still there, he’s still got a nose for the ball with three steals, and his shot looks confident.

Plays like this are worth a couple of decibels in May and June:

Grade: B+

Luka Garza

16 minutes, 14 points (0-3 from 3, 2-3 from the free throw line, 6-13 from the field), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, one turnover, one steal, 2 blocks, -2

I’d like a word with the Celtics scorekeeper. There’s no way that Garza filled up the stat sheet and was a minus-2! Regardless, it was great to see the big man out there doing the things that make him the easiest Celtic to root for.

He may have been relegated to the third-string, but you just know that he’s going to get thrown into the mix and make a difference in a game or two in the first round.

Grade: A

Ron Harper Jr.

12 minutes, 7 points (1-4 from 3, 3-7 from the field), one assist, one steal, -8

I would be surprised if the team doesn’t pick up their club option on Harper Jr. The All G League Third Teamer has shown all season that he’s a professional scorer in the big leagues.

Grade: B

DNP-CDs: John Tonje, Amari Williams

Inactives: Jayson Tatum