Celtics earn impressive road win over Hornets, 114-99

Less than four weeks ago the Celtics got dismantled at home to the upstart Hornets who since the turn of the calendar have become the hottest team in the league. 

But that was before Jayson Tatum was back, and on Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, Jayson Tatum was back.  

Tatum led the way with a dominant 32 points as the Celtics earned an impressive road win over the Hornets, and in the process officially clinched a postseason berth. 

Payton Pritchard also impressed as the second option with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White sidelined, pouring in 26 points on 10-for-18 shooting. 

Tatum hasn’t been getting off to the fastest of starts from the floor since his return early this month, but Sunday afternoon the star was feeling it from the jump. As the Celtics opened up an early 15-9 lead, Tatum scored or assisted on all 15 of those points. 

The Hornets traditionally hot shooting wasn’t connecting in the first as Kon Knueppel’s lone three had them trailing by double digits early. It didn’t help that Sam Hauser and Pritchard both knocked down their first attempts from deep to put Charlotte in an early hole. 

When Tatum went to the bench after his successful first stint, Neemias Queta picked up the slack with six-straight points. The Hornets stars were quiet throughout the first, but Coby White put up seven points as they trailed 27-21 at the end of one. 

In the second quarter, Boston gave Charlotte a taste of its own medicine as it connected on 6-of-7 of its three-point attempts. Tatum continued to mirror his old-self as he buried two triples, and ballooned the Celtics lead up to 17 points. 

Pritchard also continued to impress as the second option, utilizing his mid-range jumper that has evolved into as automatic a shot as you’re going to find. The guard poured in eight points on 3-for-4 shooting in the frame. 

Lamelo Ball finally got going late in the second after Hornets head coach Charles Lee gave him a quick hook earlier in the game. Ball scored five quick points as Charlotte went on a 7-0 run, but as the teams walked off the court at the half, Boston still led by 14. 

As the second half began, the Celtics only looked stronger. Pritchard scored seven quick points to get up to 20 points. Tatum followed that up with seven points of his own as Boston’s lead grew to 20. The Cs star also put together eight assists and five boards as it looked like they were going to walk to their 50th win of the year. 

But the NBA’s leader in threes finally woke up. The Hornets connected on seven triples in the first 15 minutes of the second half, with Ball drilling two triples to cut Boston’s lead down to just nine. 

Unfortunately for the Hornets, Tatum’s show wasn’t done just yet. 

Tatum knocked down his fifth triple of the night in the face of Miles Bridges to put Boston up 16, ending Charlotte's comeback bid. The star strolled back to his spot on the bench, his night complete as he clinched the Cs spot in the playoffs and their fifth straight 50th win season. 

Next up for the Celtics is the second night of a back-to-back in Atlanta on Monday night. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.