Celtics absolutely stomp Hornets in Jayson Tatum’s return from ankle injury

In the Celtics’ last game, Jaylen Brown had to step up in the absence of Jayson Tatum. On Monday night, he had to tag Tatum in. The NBA-best Celtics have not skipped a beat.

Tatum scored 35 points in his return after a one-game break, appearing unbothered by his recent ankle sprain, as the Celtics crushed the Charlotte Hornets by a 140-105 final at TD Garden on Monday night. Marcus Smart also stepped up with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting (72.7 percent) and a career-high 15 assists. The 35-point win came without Jaylen Brown, who was ruled out shortly before tipoff with neck stiffness.

The Celtics got off to a blistering start with 45 points in the first quarter, on the strength of 10 three-pointers, a mark that tied the franchise record for a single quarter. They led by as many as 42 points, when a Sam Hauser triple made it 124-82 early in the fourth quarter. The win puts the C’s at 17-4, extending their first-place lead in the Eastern Conference to two games over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Keep scrolling for more of the top highlights from the Celtics’ blowout win.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.