The Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to three games with a 114-99 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night at Spectrum Center. Boston improved to 50-24, holding firm in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Jayson Tatum led the way with 32 points, shooting 12-of-23 from the field and 5-of-10 from three-point range. He added eight assists and controlled the game’s tempo from the opening quarter.
Payton Pritchard continued his strong stretch in place of Jaylen Brown, finishing with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting. He also went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line and added six rebounds and six assists.
Neemias Queta contributed 17 points and eight rebounds, providing interior efficiency as Boston shot 51% from the field. The Celtics finished with 23 assists and just five turnovers, showing strong ball security throughout.
Boston built a 19-point lead in the first half by limiting Charlotte’s perimeter offense. The Hornets, who entered the game leading the league in made three-pointers, shot just 5-of-21 from beyond the arc before halftime.
Charlotte finished 12-of-43 from three-point range, well below its 38.2% season average. LaMelo Ball scored 19 points but shot 3-of-12 from deep, while Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel combined to go 4-of-15 from long range.
Miles Bridges added 14 points, but the Hornets struggled to generate consistent offense against Boston’s defensive rotations. Charlotte shot 43% overall and recorded 11 turnovers, limiting second-chance opportunities.
The home team cut the deficit to nine early in the fourth quarter, creating a brief momentum shift. Tatum responded with a three-pointer over Bridges, pushing the lead back to double digits and stabilizing Boston’s control.
Pritchard later added a driving layup to extend the lead to 17 with under four minutes remaining. Charlotte emptied its bench shortly after, ending any chance of a late comeback.
Boston played its second consecutive game without Brown due to Achilles tendinitis, but maintained offensive balance with three players scoring at least 17 points. Sam Hauser added seven points, while Jordan Walsh contributed on the glass with seven rebounds.
The Hornets closed a seven-game homestand with two straight losses after winning the first five. Charlotte now sits at 39-36, holding a play-in position in the Eastern Conference standings.
Boston will travel to Atlanta for the second night of a back-to-back on Monday. Charlotte heads to Brooklyn on Tuesday, looking to regain offensive rhythm after a cold shooting performance.
