The Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Hornets 113-103 in the second game of a back-to-back. The Celtics were without their star, Jaylen Brown, who was out with a hip flexor strain, but it was still business as usual for the defending champions. Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston with 29 points, while LaMelo Ball poured in 36 for Charlotte. Coming off a tense ending to the last game with a series of hard fouls, the Celtics kept their composure to secure their sixth win of the season.
The Boston Celtics’ Impressive Start
Without Jaylen Brown, the Boston Celtics went with a big starting lineup with Al Horford and Luke Kornet starting. For Charlotte, they went with a small lineup, starting Grant Williams at center. Williams faced significant backlash for his flagrant foul on Jayson Tatum in their last game. This game also saw the return of Brandon Miller, playing in his first game since the Hornets opener. The Boston Celtics were hot early on, jumping out to a 21-9 lead. The Hornets small lineup allowed the Celtics to score in the paint and take advantage of double teams.
At the end of the first quarter, the Boston Celtics led 38-24. Jayson Tatum was aggressive early, with 13 first quarter points on 4-of-6 shooting, while Tre Mann had 8 for Charlotte. In the second quarter, the Celtics extended their lead further. Payton Pritchard began to roll, knocking down a few threes off the bench after shooting poorly the night before. Pritchard shot a staggering 5-of-9 from three for 17 points in the half. Tatum also had 17 at the half, while Derrick White scored 15. Ball heated up in the second quarter, with 15 points, but Charlotte still trailed. The Boston Celtics were up 68-50 at halftime.
An Interesting Second Half
The Charlotte Hornets opened the second half on a 14-0 run, taking advantage of multiple sloppy Celtics turnovers and misses. It made a potential Boston Celtics blowout win into a competitive ballgame. The Hornets cut the Celtics lead to as low as three in their hot third quarter, as Ball and Miller contributed to the scoring effort. This has happened before with the Boston Celtics, as recently as last week against the Detroit Pistons. A large Boston lead evaporated, making the game close down the stretch. But the Celtics responded to Charlotte’s run with their own adjustments.
Through three quarters, the Boston Celtics led 85-74. However, the Celtics poor shooting continued into the fourth quarter and the Charlotte Hornets hung around. Ball hit multiple threes as the Hornets attempted to trim the lead. Derrick White and Luke Kornet helped to steady the ship for Boston. White had a three and a block, giving the Celtics momentum, and Kornet was a presence down low the entire game. Kornet was active on the glass and his size allowed him to get multiple lobs and touches in the paint.
In the final minutes, the Boston Celtics stuffed any chances of a Charlotte comeback, sealing the game with multiple dunks, including a Neemias Queta poster on Grant Williams, which Celtics fans enjoyed. Tatum also bumped into Williams after a dunk of his own. In the game’s final seconds, Williams even scuffled with Derrick White. The Celtics clearly held a grudge for Williams’ hard foul on Jayson Tatum the night before. The Boston Celtics won 113-103, sweeping the back-to-back.
Final Thoughts
The Boston Celtics improved to 6-1 with the win, even without Brown. Tatum was Boston’s scoring leader with 29 points and 7 rebounds on 7-of-15 shooting. Pritchard had 22 off the bench with six three-pointers, while White scored 18, and Kornet had 19 on 6-of-6 shooting. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets dropped to 2-4 despite a 36-point outing from Ball. The Boston Celtics play the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, while the Hornets travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves.
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