Celtics Wrap: Balanced Scoring Leads Boston To 102-91 Win Vs. Hornets

It was a tale of two halves for the Boston Celtics, but all that matters is the end result — a 102-91 win.

The Celtics looked like the team that won 16 games in a row earlier this season when they got out to a 20-point lead during the first half of Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.

But the C’s of the last two weeks reared their ugly head in the second half, as the Hornets erased Boston’s large lead and turned the fourth quarter into a dogfight.

While the Celtics were unable to close out the game Monday against the Washington Wizards, they slammed the door on the Hornets thanks to a balanced scoring effort and big plays from Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum.

Irving led the Celtics with 21 points, while Al Horford (20 points, 10 rebounds), Tatum (18 points), Terry Rozier (15 points) and Shane Larkin (11 points) also scored in double figures for Boston.

Kemba Walker did everything he could for Charlotte, dropping 24 points in a losing effort.

The Celtics improved to 28-10 with the win, while the Hornets fell to 12-22.

Here’s how it all went down:

STARTING FIVE
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Marcus Smart
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Al Horford
C: Aron Baynes

NO BROWN
Jaylen Brown made the trip to Charlotte but did not suit up Wednesday after injuring his right knee during the Celtics’ loss to the Wizards on Christmas Day.

BACK ON TRACK
The Celtics have been sliding lately, but they looked like their old selves in the first quarter against the Hornets. Boston jumped out to a 28-16 lead after one frame, as the C’s held the Hornets to 26.1 percent from the field and forced six turnovers in a one-sided opening quarter. Tatum led the Celtics with eight points while Irving chipped in with seven.

COMPLETE HALF
Boston played its best basketball in quite some time during the first half. The C’s shot 52.6 percent from the field, including going 11-for-18 from 3-point range to take a 60-44 lead at the break.

The Celtics held the Hornets to 35 percent from the floor and 30.8 percent from the long distance, as Larkin (nine points) and Boston’s bench put some distance between themselves and the Hornets in the second quarter.

Irving led the C’s with 12 points, while Horford added 11 and Tatum chipped in with eight. Walker paced all scorers with 13 points in the half.

KEMBA TIME
Walker had a huge third quarter as the Hornets battled back from a 20-point deficit. The UConn product ignited an 18-4 run to begin the third to get Charlotte within four points. Boston was able to keep the Hornets from taking the lead, but Walker scored nine points in the frame and the Hornets trailed by just one entering the fourth quarter.

C’S HANG ON
The Hornets continued to hang around, as Boston led by three with under five minutes to play. But Irving nailed a deep deuce, and then Tatum slammed home a fast-break dunk to swell the lead to seven with three minutes to play.

The lead would oscillate between five and nine for the remainder of the quarter before Horford drilled a dagger 3-pointer with 40 seconds to play to seal the win.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT
Get up, rook.