Winners of three in a row and house owners of the NBA’s finest report, the Boston Celtics took the court docket towards the 6-14 Charlotte Hornets with nearly as a lot confidence as a workforce may have in a single recreation. The consequence was removed from a let-down recreation, because the Celtics piled up 45 factors in a outstanding first quarter, and cruised to a cushty win over the Hornets, 140-105.
Jayson Tatum (ankle) returned to play and put up a game-high 35 factors in seemingly easy style, whereas Marcus Sensible added 22 factors and 15 assists and Malcolm Brogdon tacked on 21 factors on 8-of-9 taking pictures, serving to the Celtics overcome the absence of Jaylen Brown (neck) and Al Horford (again). On the opposite aspect, the Hornets lacked the companies of previous buddies Gordon Hayward (shoulder) and Terry Rozier (non-COVID sickness), however their comparatively environment friendly scoring assault (49% FG, 39% 3PT) couldn’t preserve tempo with the Boston onslaught.
With Horford and Brown sidelined, Blake Griffin obtained one other spot begin alternative, and he made his presence felt early within the first quarter. He opened the scoring for the night with a three-pointer 17 seconds into the sport, and adopted it up with a couple of good passes and a pair of offensive rebounds. A spry look for the seldom-used veteran!
Griffin’s sizzling begin proved to be a harbinger for the way the primary quarter was going to go for the Celtics. They merely couldn’t miss. There was no scarcity of absurd first quarter stats on this recreation — choose your favourite. Was it the ten made three-pointers? Tatum’s 16 factors? Sensible’s eight assists in 10 minutes?
The primary quarter ended, and finally, so too did the shenanigans. There have been nonetheless three extra quarters of basketball to be performed, in spite of everything. Having been punched within the mouth within the first quarter, the Hornets mustered a response. They put collectively a modest 16-9 rally throughout the early minutes of the second quarter, reducing the Boston lead again below 20 factors. On the entire, Charlotte hung 36 factors on the Celtics within the second quarter… however the Celtics compiled 33 of their very own, and entered the halftime break with a 23-point lead, 78-55.
Oh, and Blake Griffin dunked! Twice!
The Boston lead surged previous the 30-point threshold halfway via the third quarter, and because the stakes have been so low, let’s take a second to speak about Tatum. This was a “takeover” recreation for the MVP candidate, who took his pictures early and infrequently, bending the Hornets to his will within the course of. The three-point shot wasn’t fully there (4-of-14 from deep), however he completely dominated Charlotte contained in the arc, taking pictures 11-of-14 on two-pointers and making it look straightforward within the course of.
The Celtics recorded their second 40+ quarter of the evening within the third, outscoring the Hornets 43-27 en path to a 39-point lead getting into the ultimate body. Tatum and Sensible didn’t see the court docket within the fourth quarter, which ought to say nearly all that must be mentioned about this recreation’s finale. The Boston Celtics are actually 17-4.
Subsequent up, the Celtics’ homestand will proceed, as they host the primary of two consecutive residence video games towards the Miami Heat, this Wednesday at 7:30 PM EST on NBA TV.
