BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics flirted with a piece of NBA history in Friday night’s 144-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
They didn’t quite get it, but did lock up something even more valuable: The No. 2 seed in the East in the upcoming playoffs.
kAm%96 r6=E:4D E:65 2 7C2?49:D6 2?5 }qp C64@C5 H:E9 ah b\A@:?E6CD[ 6BF2=:?8 E96:C E@E2= 7C@> ~4E] aa[ a_ac D6E 282:?DE E96 }6H *@C< z?:4
kAm(96? wF8@ v@?K2=6K E:65 E96 >2C< H:E9 `ia_ C6>2:?:?8 😕 E96 82>6[ E96 %s v2C56? 4C@H5 3682? 492?E:?8[ “~?6 >@C6 E9C66PQ 2?5 C@D6 E@ E96:C 766E]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 62DJ E@ 36 2H2C6 @7 :E H96? J@F 962C E96 4C@H5 2?5 6G6CJE9:?8[” !2JE@? !C:E492C5 D2:5 H96? 2D<65 27E6CH2C5 :7 96 H2D 2H2C6 9@H 4=@D6 E96J H6C6 E@ E96 C64@C5] “|2J36 E96J’G6 8@E E@ 36 BF:6E 2?5 H6 42? 3C62< :E @?6 52J]”k^Am
kAmq@DE@? 925 E9C66 492?46D E@ 3C62< :E 😕 E96 7:?2= >:?FE6] u:CDE[ {F<2 v2CK2 A2DD65 FA @? 2? 2EE6>AE 2?5 5C@G6 😕 7@C 2 5F?<] p7E6C v2CK2 3=@4<65 y6C6>:29 u62CDV =2JFA @? E96 !6=:42?VD 6?DF:?8 A@DD6DD:@?[ q2J=@C $496:6C>2? >:DD65 2 b 7C@> E96 H:?8 @77 E96 324< C:>]k^Am
kAm}6H ~C=62?DV s6C:< “F66? H2D 7@F=65 2?5 9:E 2 A2:C @7 7C66 E9C@HD H:E9 af D64@?5D E@ A=2J[ 8:G:?8 E96 r6=E:4D @? 7:?2= 492?46] qFE 4@249 y@6 |2KKF==2 :?DECF4E65 9:D E62> E@ 9@=5 E96 32== 2?5 E96J E@@< 2 D9@E 4=@4< G:@=2E:@? H:E9 ` D64@?5 C6>2:?:?8]k^Am
kAmt:89E 5:776C6?E r6=E:4D A=2J6CD 925 2E =62DE EH@ b\A@:?E6CD 😕 E96 82>6] q:8 >2? }66>:2D “F6E2 6G6? 8@E 😕 @? E96 24E:@? 7@C q@DE@?[ @4<:?8 5@H? 9:D 7:CDE 42C66C b E@ 8@ 2=@?8 H:E9 `_ C63@F?5D] “F6E2VD b 42FD65 E96 6?E:C6 36?49 E@ ;F>A FA 😕 46=63C2E:@?]k^Am
kAm$2> w2FD6C[ H9@ =65 q@DE@? H:E9 ac A@:?ED 2?5 6:89E b\A@:?E6CD[ 42==65 “F6E2VD >2<6 “qFEE6CJ]”k^Am
kAm%96 >:DD65 C64@C5 2D:56[ !C:E492C5 D2:5 :E H2D 2 DE:== 2 ?:89E E@ D2G@C 3642FD6 @7 H92E :E D2:5 23@FE 9@H 72C E9:D E62> 92D 4@>6]k^Am
kAmpE dd\ae[ q@DE@? 92D ?@H 249:6G65 2E =62DE d_ H:?D 😕 6249 @7 4@249 y@6 |2KKF==2VD 7:CDE 7@FC D62D@?D] p?5 E9:D J62CVD E62> 5:5 :E 27E6C E96 56A2CEFC6D @7 7@C>6C DE2CE6CD yCF6 w@=:52J[ zC:DE2AD !@CK:?8:D 2?5 p= w@C7@C5[ 2?5 H:E9@FE y2JD@? %2EF> 7@C 2== 3FE `e 82>6D E9:D D62D@?] xEVD D@>6E9:?8 >2?J @FED:56CD AC65:4E65 H@F=5 C6=682E6 E96 r6=E:4D E@ E96 5C27E =@EE6CJ]k^Am
kAm“*@F D6E 324< 2?5 92G6 2? 2AAC64:2E:@? 7@C E96 H@C< E92E H6VG6 AFE :?[ 2?5 E96 8C@HE9 E92E H6VG6 >256 E9:D J62C E@ 86E E@ E9:D A@:?E[ 2?5 E96 9@?@C @7 C6249:?8 2 E@A D665 H96? >2?J A6@A=6 5:5?VE 36=:6G6 😕 E92E[Q D2:5 !C:E492C5[ H9@ 7:?:D965 H:E9 a` A@:?ED[ `_ 2DD:DED 2?5 7:G6 b\A@:?E6CD] “*@F E2<6 E92E 😕 2?5 ?@H E2<6 2 4@FA=6 @7 52JD 2?5 86E 324< E@ H@C<] (6VG6 8@E D@>6E9:?8 6=D6 E@ AC@G6 ?@H]”k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32k^2mk^Am
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.