Who’s Playing
Boston @ New Orleans
Current Records: Boston 12-3; New Orleans 9-6
What to Know
The New Orleans Pelicans’ homestand continues as they prepare to take on the Boston Celtics at 8:30 p.m. ET Nov. 18 at Smoothie King Center. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both teams posted some lofty points totals in their previous games, so things might heat up even more when they meet Friday.
New Orleans didn’t have too much trouble with the Chicago Bulls at home on Wednesday as they won 124-110. The Pelicans’ success was spearheaded by the efforts of small forward Trey Murphy III, who shot 5-for-6 from downtown and finished with a double-double on 19 points and ten boards, and point guard CJ McCollum, who had 23 points and eight assists.
Meanwhile, everything went Boston’s way against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday as they made off with a 126-101 win. The contest was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point Boston had established a 97-78 advantage. They can attribute much of their success to shooting guard Derrick White, who posted a double-double on 16 points and ten assists in addition to five rebounds, and center Luke Kornet, who had 15 points along with eight rebounds and four blocks. Kornet had some trouble finding his footing against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, so this was a step in the right direction. Kornet’s points were the most he has had all season.
New Orleans is expected to lose this next one by 3. They might be worth taking a chance on against the spread, however, as they are currently on a three-game streak of ATS wins.
Their wins bumped New Orleans to 9-6 and the Celtics to 12-3. Watch the game and check back on CBS Sports to find out who keeps up the positive energy and who hits a stumbling block.
How To Watch
When: Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET
Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET Where: Smoothie King Center — New Orleans, Louisiana
Smoothie King Center — New Orleans, Louisiana TV: Bally Sports – New Orleans
Bally Sports – New Orleans Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.) Follow: CBS Sports App
CBS Sports App Ticket Cost: $20.49
Odds
The Celtics are a 3-point favorite against the Pelicans, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Celtics as a 2.5-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110
See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Boston have won six out of their last 14 games against New Orleans.