Jayson Tatum scored 34 points with nine assists and eight rebounds as the Boston Celtics routed the Charlotte Hornets 119-80 on Friday in NBA Cup group play at Spectrum Center. Boston led by as many as 46 points and never trailed.
The Celtics opened the game on an 18-4 run and led 40-20 after the first quarter, burying 55% of their three-point attempts for the night. Naz Reid led Charlotte with 14 points, but the Hornets shot just 29% from the field and committed 17 turnovers that Boston turned into 20 points.
Takeaways From Celtics’ Win Over Hornets
Boston’s three-point shooting buried Charlotte early
The Celtics made 24 of 44 three-pointers for the game, a 55% clip, and Tatum alone hit five of eight from deep. Derrick White added four more three-pointers as Boston built a 20-point first-quarter lead the Hornets never threatened to erase.
Charlotte’s shooting slump compounded its turnover problems
The Hornets shot 27 of 92 from the field, just 29%, and made only 11 of 50 three-point attempts for 22%. Charlotte also lost the turnover battle, giving Boston 20 points off its 17 giveaways while scoring only 10 fast-break points to Boston’s 16.
Boston’s depth kept the margin growing throughout
Six Celtics scored at least six points, led by Tatum’s 34 and Derrick White’s 18 on 6-of-10 shooting. Sam Hauser added nine points off the bench and Paul George chipped in eight points with five rebounds, helping Boston outscore Charlotte 30-19 in the second quarter to push the lead past 30 by halftime.
Player Of The Game: Jayson Tatum
Tatum finished 9 of 16 from the field, including 5 of 8 from three-point range, and went 11 for 11 at the free-throw line for his 34 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds and dished nine assists, finishing a plus-36 for the game, the best mark on either roster.
Celtics Vs Hornets By The Numbers
Boston shot 46% from the field compared to Charlotte’s 29%, a 17-point gap that defined the night. The Celtics also out-rebounded the Hornets 51-43 despite Charlotte collecting 19 offensive boards. Boston’s bench and starters combined for 33 assists on 38 made baskets, while Charlotte managed just 18 assists on 27 makes. The Celtics’ largest lead reached 46 points, and Charlotte never led at any point in the game.
What’s Next
The win pushed Boston’s record to 7-2, good for second place in the Atlantic Division, 1 game behind Philadelphia. Charlotte fell to 3-7, sitting fourth in the Southeast Division on a six-game losing streak. Boston leads the season series 1-0.
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