On an incredible series of 15 wins in 17 games, Boston won the 40th victory of its season this night, carried by an unstoppable Jayson Tatum and an applied collective.
The two teams tied for ten minutes, until Boston ended the first act with a 10-1 concluded by the Smart-Tatum-Williams trio (22-29). Jayson Tatum kicked off the second quarter with a third dunk, in transition, and the Celtics extended their streak to 16-1 on a midfield basket from Al Horford (22-35).
The entry of Isaiah Thomas helped revive the locals who responded with a 16-1 with the help of Kelly Oubre Jr, PJ Washington and Terry Rozier (39-41). The Celtics then took off on an 8-0 with the missiles of Derrick White and Al Horford to give some air to the C’s (39-49).
With energy, Charlotte managed to stay in the game at the break, thanks in particular to the contribution of PJ Washington, the best player of the Hornets at the halfway point (48-52).
James Borrego’s troops surfed on the same dynamic on returning from the locker room, relying on the Ball-Bridges tandem to briefly regain the advantage (62-61). Briefly, because Boston quickly replied, between the distant missiles of the Brown-Horford pair and the mastery of Marcus Smart, both passing and finishing (70-77).
The Hornets mishandled the end of the quarter and were punished in the process by a fiery Jayson Tatum, the latter fielding three 3-pointers with disconcerting ease before going to score a lay-up in traffic to bring the mark to 103-84. Still from a distance, Grant Williams and Jayson Tatum maintained a reasonable gap until the end, while Robert Williams III wrote the final exclamation point with an authoritative tap dunk, guiding the Celtics to victory (115-101 ).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Jayson Tatum takes control. Elected player of the week on Monday evening, the winger confirms his rank as a superstar game after game. Over the last six games, he has finished as his team’s top scorer five times with improbable figures in his last two outings, compiling 98 points! This night in Charlotte, it was almost single-handedly that he sealed the fate of the match, on three 3-point baskets in a row from elsewhere.
– Not just a “one-man show”. If Jayson Tatum evolves at an exceptional level, Boston can also count on a whole collective, and the game of the night confirmed it (7 players with 7 points and more, 30 assists). We can notably mention the contribution of Al Horford, very precious, or Derrick White, who also brought important relays for his team, in particular when Charlotte picked up at the end of the first half.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Jayson Tatum. 16 points in the last act to close the deal and another full game on his part with efficiency, skill and leadership. What else?
⛔The Ball-Rozier-Bridges trio. The three leaders of the Hornets have brought too little, between the barely limit percentages of address of Terry Rozier (14 points at 5/17) and Miles Bridges (17 points at 5/14) on one side and the new complicated match from LaMelo Ball (15 points at 6/12 shooting, 6 lost balls, +/- of -17) …
THE FOLLOWING
Charlotte (32-35): the Hornets attack two away games starting with the Pelicans this Tuesday
Boston (40-27): the Celtics will be home for the Detroit reception this Friday
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