The Boston Celtics traveled to Charlotte for the first game of a back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets, winning 124-109. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown carved the path to victory, helping the Celtics improve to 5-1. The Charlotte Hornets fell to 2-3, despite keeping the game interesting throughout. Charlotte played a competitive game, keeping up with the Celtics most of the way before a series of fouls toward the end allowed Boston to pull away.
A High-Scoring First Half
The first quarter was an interesting back-and-forth affair. The Boston Celtics entered with a new starting lineup, as Luke Kornet started at center with Al Horford out. Kornet had a few offensive rebounds early on and made plays on the defensive end with his height and length. Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta were the rotating big men for Boston and made the most of their minutes. While they were not scoring the ball, they were tenacious on the glass. This was one of the few games for Boston where they won the rebounding and paint battle early on.
A 15-1 run midway through the quarter allowed Boston to build a double-digit lead. Jayson Tatum led the way for the Celtics with 16 first quarter points on 5-of-9 shooting. Jrue Holiday had 8 on 3-of-4 shooting. For Charlotte, LaMelo Ball was putting up shots early, with 7 first quarter points, but on 2-of-7 shooting. At the end of the first quarter, the Boston Celtics led 40-25.
In the second quarter, LaMelo Ball heated up and helped the Hornets cut into Boston’s lead. Ball ended the first half with 19 points. Tre Mann was also key for Charlotte, with 10 points off the bench. The Hornets found a way to give the Boston Celtics a taste of their own medicine, firing up threes at a high rate. In the first half, Charlotte shot 13-of-29 from three while the Celtics shot 9-of-25. For Boston, Jaylen Brown began to turn it on in the second quarter. He had 16 points at halftime on 5-of-11 shooting. But Charlotte still put a large dent in the Boston Celtics lead, and at halftime, Boston led 71-67.
The Boston Celtics Close It Out
Jayson Tatum continued to play well in the third quarter, leading Boston in scoring while the game remained tight. The Hornets stayed aggressive on the offensive glass and never allowed the Boston Celtics to pull away. Tre Mann was especially hot in the third, helping spark a 10-0 Charlotte run after Boston had built a lead. It was the same seesaw nature of the game, where the Celtics would look to pull ahead before the Hornets pulled it right back. At the end of the third quarter, the Boston Celtics led 92-86.
Going into the fourth quarter of a tight game, the stars of both teams shined. Ball caught fire again with multiple threes and acrobatic layups. Jaylen Brown returned the favor, though, attacking the basket to create looks for himself or his teammates. Brown also made a mission of getting to the free throw line, which put Charlotte in the bonus early on. But it was not just the stars who made impact plays. Neemias Queta got a huge dunk off a smooth pass inside from Derrick White that gave Boston a boost of momentum. Despite Luke Kornet starting, Queta was called on in the fourth quarter and made the most of his minutes.
The Celtics built a decent lead in the fourth, but Charlotte kept the game close. Then, on a fast break, former Celtic Grant Williams gave a hard foul to Jayson Tatum that resembled a hockey check. Williams was given a flagrant foul and ejected from the game. Then, Ball was given a flagrant foul a few moments later, also on Tatum. This commotion down the stretch allowed the Boston Celtics to pull away for a 124-109 win.
Final Thoughts
The Celtics won the first of their back-to-back games against the Charlotte Hornets, improving to 5-1 on the season. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led Boston in scoring. Tatum had 32 points and 11 rebounds, while Brown scored 25. For the Charlotte Hornets, they drop to 2-3. Ball and Mann were the Hornets’ scoring leaders. Ball scored 31 and Mann had 23 off the bench. These teams play again in the second game of their back-to-back, so the series of flagrant fouls down the stretch could play a factor in motivation for both sides.
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