A look at three key numbers related to Saturday’s game at the Smoothie King Center between Boston and New Orleans (6 p.m. Central, Bally Sports New Orleans, ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM):
42: Devonte’ Graham three-pointers made in fourth quarters this season, ranking fourth among all NBA players in final-period treys. Graham trails only Sacramento’s Buddy Hield (55), Golden State’s Stephen Curry (48) and Utah’s Jordan Clarkson (43) in canning threes during the final 12 minutes of regulation. In clutch time, Graham ranks third in total three-pointers made (10) across the league, behind Washington’s Kyle Kuzma (15) and Toronto’s Fred VanVleet (13). In New Orleans’ most recent victory, Graham again delivered Monday vs. Indiana, connecting on a pair of deep balls to put the Pelicans in the win column. The starting point guard is shooting 40.0 percent on threes in the fourth quarter (at 42 of 105), compared to 39.8 percent in first quarters, 32.3 in second quarters and 29.9 in third quarters.
11: Rank among all NBA players (including starts only) in rebounding average for New Orleans center Willy Hernangomez, who has grabbed 11.2 boards per start over the five games he’s drawn first-string duty this season. Hernangomez is one place below Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (11.3 rpg) on that list, with the “Greek Freak” capping a top 10 that also includes Pelicans teammate Jonas Valanciunas (12.0) and reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic (13.8). On a per-minute basis, Hernangomez climbs even further up the starter rankings, pulling down 14.6 caroms per 36 minutes. Among NBA players who’ve made at least five starts in 2021-22, Hernangomez ranks seventh in that stat. Using the same criteria but for offensive rebounding, the native of Spain is No. 1, based on his rate of 6.3 O-boards per 36. By comparison, ex-Pelicans center Steven Adams is third on that list at 5.8 per 36 minutes (over Adams’ 46 starts).
1-7: New Orleans record this season during the second night of back-to-backs, with the only victory coming Nov. 13 vs. Memphis, a game in which Brandon Ingram made his return from a hip injury after not playing the previous night against Brooklyn. On Saturday, the Pelicans will try to reverse a season-long trend in which their performance has dropped precipitously on zero days rest (in this case, Boston also will be playing a back-to-back). In Game 2 of their eight back-to-backs so far, the Pelicans have been outscored by an average of 9.7 points, with their defense slipping to giving up 113.8 points per outing. On the standard one day of rest with a game every other day, New Orleans has been outscored by an average of 2.3 points, allowing 108.2 points in 28 games.
PREVIOUS GAME STARTING LINEUPS
BOSTON (25-25, 8TH IN EAST)
Friday loss at Atlanta
Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Robert Williams
Notes: This group is 9-6, intact for each of the past three games, a stretch that began with wins over Washington and Sacramento. … If the Celtics hope to avoid the East play-in tournament after finishing as a No. 7 seed last season, they have work to do, because they currently trail sixth-place Philadelphia (29-19) by five games. Boston is in a virtual tie with 23-23 Toronto (the Celtics lead the season series 2-1 over the Raptors) and only a game apiece ahead of No. 10 Washington and No. 11 Atlanta, both 23-25.
NEW ORLEANS (18-30, 12TH IN WEST)
Friday loss vs. Denver
Devonte’ Graham, Josh Hart, Garrett Temple, Herbert Jones, Willy Hernangomez
Notes: This group is 0-2, having previously started the Jan. 1 defeat at Milwaukee. … The status of Graham, Ingram and Valanciunas is uncertain. Graham exited Friday’s game in the fourth quarter with an injury and was to be reevaluated Saturday morning, according to Willie Green. Ingram (ankle) and Valanciunas (non-Covid illness) were DNPs against the Nuggets. Teams are required by the NBA to submit injury reports prior to 1 p.m. local time when they play the second game of a back-to-back, so an update should be forthcoming soon.
FANDUEL KEYS TO THE GAME
BOOST FROM THIRD-YEAR GUYS
With New Orleans competing without its two top scorers this week in games against Philadelphia and Denver, 2019 first-round picks Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes have continued to build upon their recent solid play. Alexander-Walker is averaging 21.0 points over the past three games, highlighted by a 31-point performance at the 76ers, while Hayes has averaged 14.0 points over the same span. Hayes has been a highlight machine, producing frequent dunks and tallying double-digit scoring in six of the past eight games.
CONTAINING BOSTON WINGS
Tatum and Brown are a handful for every defense tasked with trying to slow them down. Boston shook off a sluggish first half Jan. 17 by outscoring New Orleans 65-46 after intermission, winning 104-92. Tatum scored 21 of his 27 points after the break, while Brown chipped in 12 of his 23 in the TD Garden matinee.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Two rhyming, hard-nosed catalysts for their teams, New Orleans’ Hart and Boston’s Smart are never afraid to mix it up for a loose ball or rebound. Hart returned Friday from a one-game injury absence to notch 16 points and eight rebounds. Smart had been sidelined six straight games before getting back into the Boston lineup for the past three contests, posting 17 points and six boards at Atlanta last night.
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