Payton Pritchard scored 34 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 93-86 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday at TD Garden in the final regular season game of the 2024-25 campaign.
With both teams sitting all regular starters, Boston’s reserves controlled the early tempo before surviving a second-half rally.
Pritchard, who is in contention for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, had 12 points in the fourth quarter to help Boston close out its 61st win of the season.
Sam Hauser added 15 points and hit four of Boston’s 14 made three-pointers.
The Celtics built a 21-point lead in the first half but saw it erased as Charlotte battled back behind double-digit scoring from Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Okogie and Jaylen Sims.
Boston entered the fourth with just a one-point lead after scoring only 15 in the third quarter, but outscored Charlotte 24-18 the rest of the way.
The Hornets shot 37.6% from the field and went 11-for-39 (28.2%) from three-point range in their seventh straight loss.
Nurkic and Okogie each had 14 points to lead the 19-63 Hornets, who ended their season on a 1-12 slide.
Seth Curry, who was held out, officially led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage at 45.6% by qualifying on Friday.
Pritchard opened the game with nine points in the first quarter as Boston jumped ahead 19-5 and led by 18 after one.
Boston, which rested its top six players for the second time this week, now turns its attention to the playoffs where it will begin its title defense next weekend as the East’s No. 2 seed.
Jaylen Brown missed his second straight game due to a sore right knee and was joined on the inactive list by Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Al Horford.
Charlotte was without LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and several other core players due to injury or coach’s decision.
The Celtics completed back-to-back 60-win seasons for the first time since 2008 and 2009.
Boston will enter the playoffs on a two-game win streak, while Charlotte concludes the season with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
