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Behind the Numbers presented by HUB International: Pelicans at Celtics (1/11/20)

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A look at three key numbers related to Saturday’s game at TD Garden between New Orleans and Boston (6 p.m. Central, Fox Sports New Orleans, ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM):

6: Rank in Week 12 in scoring average for Brandon Ingram among all NBA players. The combo forward – who has been lining up lately at starting power forward – is averaging 30.7 points per game as New Orleans has gone 2-1, with the only defeat a two-point loss Monday to Utah. The only players who’ve averaged more points per game this week are Nikola Jokic (40.0), Kawhi Leonard (36.0), Russell Westbrook (34.0), LeBron James (33.0) and Zach LaVine (31.7), though it should be noted that Leonard and Westbrook have only played in one game apiece. Not only has Ingram been extremely prolific in putting up the points, but he’s doing so without a high volume of shot attempts. The Duke University product is close to the coveted 50/40/90 plateau over the three games, shooting 47.6 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from three and 90.9 percent at the foul line. His 28-point game at New York on Friday was actually his lowest-scoring performance of this week, following 35 points against Utah and 29 vs. Chicago. By going 5/9 from three-point range against the Knicks last night, it was already Ingram’s eighth game of sinking at least four treys this season. He only accomplished that once in his 190 games with the Lakers.

3: Rank among all NBA rookies (minimum 10 minutes played per game) in PER for New Orleans center Jaxson Hayes, who has a player efficiency rating of 18.07. The only first-year pros with a higher PER who’ve logged significant minutes in 2019-20 are Memphis’ Brandon Clarke (No. 21 pick, 22.63 PER) and Ja Morant (No. 2 pick, 18.56). Hayes, the eighth overall pick, has made major strides this week, posting 14 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks vs. Chicago, then 18 points, 10 rebounds and two swats at New York. As Fox Sports New Orleans broadcaster Joel Meyers said of the 19-year-old after the buzzer Friday, “He’s way ahead of the game on his spacing, his reads and his timing.” TV analyst Antonio Daniels: “If you look at the last two games, with back-to-back double-doubles, this young man is averaging 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, off the bench. You want to talk about a ceiling and potential, you can see it all right there in rookie Jaxson Hayes.”

6, 20: Net rating for the two teams in Saturday’s interconference matchup over the past two weeks. The order may be the opposite of what you’d expect based on the overall records of New Orleans (14-25) and Boston (25-11), because the Pelicans have been one of the league’s best teams since Dec. 28, ranking statistically behind only Utah, the Lakers, Toronto, Milwaukee and Memphis during that timeframe. New Orleans is 5-2 over that period, with a net rating of plus 6.9 points per 100 possessions, via NBA.com. Meanwhile, Boston has hit a rare rough patch on its schedule, going 3-4 with a net rating of minus 2.4. Prior to Dec. 28, the Celtics were second in the NBA in net rating and off to a 22-7 start, while the Pelicans were sixth from the bottom at No. 25, ahead of only Charlotte, Golden State, New York, Cleveland and Atlanta. The Pelicans will try to continue that upward trajectory Saturday, in the first of two January meetings with the Celtics (the latter is Jan. 26 in the Smoothie King Center, on ESPN).

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