Third-quarter onslaught leads Celtics past Hornets
The Celtics outscored the Hornets 35-26 in the third qaurter, enough to give them a lead they never conceded.
Apr 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives the ball against Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James (4) in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
David Butler II-Imagn ImagesBOSTON — Jayson Tatum and the Celtics got a reminder of what playoff basketball feels like Tuesday night.
Moussa Diabate boxed out Tatum as he inbounded the ball, remaining chippy as they made their way down the floor. Tangled up underneath the opposite basket, Tatum and Diabate pushed each other before teammates separated the two. As the Celtics suffered a six-point deficit, it was a reminder of the physicality that occurs in the postseason.
It was time to flex their muscles.
After trailing for most of the game, the Celtics erupted on a 10-0 scoring run to take a late third-quarter lead, one they would not concede. They defeated the play-in-bound Hornets, 113-102, to improve to 54-25 overall. Charlotte fell to 43-37 overall.
Jaylen Brown scored 35 points, including nine third-quarter points that helped the Celtics achieve a 35-26 advantage in the quarter. Tatum’s efficiency increased in the second half, scoring 15 of his 23 points in the second half while shooting 6-of-9 — much better than his 2-of-6 mark in the first half — from the floor in the final 24 minutes.
Payton Pritchard helped increase Boston’s offensive production from its bench unit, scoring nine second-half points. His performance greatly contributed to the Celtics finishing with 26 bench points, an uptick from the unit’s eight first-half points.
All of Neemias Queta’s five rebounds occurred on the offensive glass, helping the Celtics outscore the Hornets 23-13 in second-chance points. Brown posted nine rebounds and three assists
LaMelo Ball was hot from the outset of the game, scoring 23 first-half points. He finished with a game-high 36 points on 12-of-24 shooting, including a 6-of-15 mark from deep, and six assists. Brandon Miller contributed 20 points.
After the Knicks narrowly defeated the Hawks on Monday, the Celtics’ victory over the Hornets did not clinch them the second seed in the Eastern Conference. A win at New York on Thursday — the first half of a back-to-back — would yield Boston the No. 2 seed in the conference, including home-court advantage in the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs.
