Steve Clifford was right: with Miles Bridges, the Hornets show a completely different face! This night, LaMelo Ball’s teammates created the feat of the evening by winning 121-118 against the Celtics. A success snatched after extension thanks to… Miles Bridges! Starting for the first time in 586 matches, he scored the winning basket 6.6 seconds from the end. Behind, Jayson Tatum has three shots to equalize, 5 seconds from the buzzer. The Celtics superstar scores the first two, but misses the 3rd!
Result: rebound by Miles Bridges, then foul by Jrue Holiday, then by Sam Hauser, and it is Gordon Hayward who validates, with throws, the great victory of the Hornets. The first in seven home games, and especially after being 18 points behind! Because before missing this famous equalizing free throw, Jayson Tatum had flown through the first half with 31 points scored, including 23 in the 2nd quarter alone.
A crazy Spectrum Center!
While his teammates blamed a “back-ot-back”, Jayson Tatum took the match into his own hands, and the Celtics took an 18-point lead, before reaching the break with 11 points. ‘advance. Then Charlotte will chip away at the delay, minute by minute, until this “money time” where the imposing Mark Williams snatches an offensive rebound after being badly covered. He goes into an indescribable delirium to return to -2 (108-106).
Behind, Jrue Holiday misses two shots, and it’s LaMelo Ball who equalizes on an ultra-complicated lay-up, with Jaylen Brown in contact. There are 7 seconds left, and the last ball is for… Sam Hauser, who sends a sub at the buzzer. Extension !
The crowd remains standing, and it explodes on this 3-pointer 8 meters from Bridges. Jrue Holiday left him a meter, and he is punished! We know the rest…
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Miles Bridges, the hero. Steve Clifford wanted an electric shock, and so he sacrificed PJ Washington, to start Miles Bridges. Before signing the “game winner”, the ghost had suffered in defense against Jayson Tatum, and he had messed up a lot. But he didn’t tremble when taking this distant 3-pointer, in the corner. A place usually reserved for Luka Doncic.
– End of series. For the Hornets, as for the Celtics, it’s the end of the series. Charlotte thus remained on four defeats in a row, and had not won at home for six matches. Leaders of the NBA, Boston remained, for its part, on six victories in a row. Joe Mazzulla’s players still retain 1st place in the NBA with 11 wins and 3 losses.
– Electric ball. LaMelo Ball is a formidable playmaker who is fast, unselfish and unafraid to take responsibility. In addition to his equalizing basket 7 seconds from the end of the 4th quarter, we will remember this left-handed layup to give the Hornets the advantage in overtime then this good shift to find Miles Bridges on this decisive 3-pointer. His incessant pace wore out the Celtics’ back-to-back legs.
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.