Relying on how the Jap Convention standings shake out over the ultimate six weeks of the common season, the Celtics may see Charlotte within the first spherical of the NBA playoffs.
The Hornets? The franchise that gained 19 video games a 12 months in the past, hasn’t reached the postseason since 2016 and hasn’t gained a collection since earlier than Kon Knueppel was born? They wouldn’t pose a lot of a problem to this spectacular Boston squad, proper?
Improper.
Charlotte, coached by former Celtics assistant Charles Lee, has been one of many NBA’s prime groups because the begin of 2026, and it handed the C’s their most lopsided lack of the season Wednesday night time, rolling to a 118-89 victory at TD Backyard.
“We simply didn’t have it tonight,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned.
It was the 32-31 Hornets’ sixteenth win of their final 19 video games, throughout which they’ve vaulted from draft-lottery vary as much as ninth within the East. The 41-21 Celtics, who sit second within the convention, entered with a 12-2 document of their earlier 14 video games. Since Jan. 1, the groups rank second and first, respectively, within the NBA in each offensive score and web score.
Derrick White was the intense spot for Boston, scoring 29 factors on 9-of-17 taking pictures. Jaylen Brown’s 20 factors on 7-of-19 taking pictures have been his fewest in a recreation since Jan. 5; he added 11 rebounds and 7 assists. Nikola Vucevic went 2-for-10 in one of many shakiest outings of his transient Celtics tenure, and starters Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta mixed for 5 factors on 2-of-8 taking pictures.
Payton Pritchard was held scoreless for the second time in three video games, going 0-for-6 and 0-for-5 from three in 24 minutes.
The Hornets acquired 20 factors from Knueppel — Cooper Flagg’s major challenger for NBA Rookie of the Yr — 18 every from LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, and 17 from Coby White. Collectively, that quartet went 28-for-53 (52.8%), shredding a Celtics protection that got here in main the league in defensive score because the starting of February.
Charlotte additionally dedicated simply 5 turnovers — the fewest by a Boston opponent this season — to the Celtics’ 16.
Boston will look to get again on observe Friday night time in opposition to the struggling Dallas Mavericks — probably with its finest participant again within the lineup.
Jayson Tatum has but to verify when or if he’ll return this season, however the famous person wing seems to be on the verge of a comeback from Achilles surgical procedure. His standing for Friday will likely be revealed when the Celtics launch their subsequent harm report Thursday afternoon.
The Celtics missed their first eight field-goal makes an attempt to open Wednesday’s recreation, and so they struggled to seek out their contact from contained in the arc all through the primary quarter. They tried 10 photographs within the paint within the opening interval and missed eight of them, together with a botched layup by Vucevic and an unsuccessful tip-in by Queta.
Queta was lifted after simply 91 seconds and obtained consideration from Celtics trainers on the bench. He later returned, however Boston expanded its frontcourt rotation, giving first-quarter minutes to 3rd middle Luka Garza.
White, who was acknowledged Tuesday because the Jap Convention Defensive Participant of the Month, carried the Celtics’ offense early with a pair of 3-pointers and a pair of drawn fouls. Hugo Gonzalez additionally hit two threes from the corners, one coming instantly after the rookie was on the flawed finish of a strong one-handed dunk by Miller.
However Boston struggled to maintain tempo with the younger, up-tempo Hornets, who didn’t look fatigued from their house win over Dallas 24 hours earlier. Knueppel proved particularly tough to corral, shaking Celtics defenders round screens whereas making 4 of his first 5 field-goal makes an attempt. Later within the first half, Miller scored 10 factors in lower than three minutes — together with consecutive makes over Baylor Scheierman — to stretch Charlotte’s result in 21.
Brown gave the Celtics a momentary spark by slamming one house over Moussa Diabate, adopted by a Pritchard steal and a Scheierman three in transition. The short 5-0 run ended there, nevertheless, and the Hornets went into halftime up 64-43.
It was one in all Boston’s worst halves of the season on each ends. The Celtics shot 32.6%, grabbed offensive rebounds on simply six of their 31 misses, didn’t rating a single second-chance level and compelled simply two turnovers. Charlotte shot 53.5% and 48.0% from deep.
White opened the second half with an inside scoring blitz, changing from inside 10 toes on 4 straight Celtics possessions and baiting Diabate right into a foul beneath the basket. That rally additionally stalled, as did one other that started with a three-shot foul in opposition to Brown. Vucevic drained a 3-pointer on the following journey, however Knueppel answered with one in all his personal.
The Hornets closed the third quarter with a 6-0 run, capping the interval with an and-one layup by Coby White over Jordan Walsh. Brown additionally was assessed a technical foul late within the third for arguing with officers.
Charlotte solely added to its lead within the fourth quarter. By the 5:00 mark, most of Boston’s regulars had been shut down for the night time. Brown returned for one brief stint halfway by way of the fourth, scoring 4 factors to achieve 20 for the sport.
Garza performed your entire remaining quarter, and Ron Harper Jr. checked in with seven minutes to play. Former Celtics large man Xavier Tillman, who was traded to Charlotte final month, entered for the ultimate 4:36. The 2024 NBA champion additionally obtained a tribute video earlier within the recreation.
