Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics to a comfortable 114-93 preseason victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday at TD Garden, helping the hosts remain unbeaten through their first three games.
Tatum finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes. He shot 8-for-17 from the field, including three three-pointers, while adding two steals as Boston improved to 3-0 in preseason play.
The Celtics established control early, taking a 28-20 lead after the first quarter and extending their advantage to 54-44 by halftime. Charlotte briefly kept pace in the third period, scoring 33 points, but Boston responded with a dominant fourth quarter, outscoring the visitors 29-16 to secure the 21-point win.
Derrick White was one of Boston’s most productive players, recording 17 points, three rebounds, two assists and four steals in 20 minutes. He made six of his nine field-goal attempts and helped the Celtics build their lead with an explosive stretch in the second quarter.
Mitchell Robinson added 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in just 17 minutes, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. Neemias Queta also contributed 16 points and 11 assists in 29 minutes, providing a major playmaking boost for Boston.
Payton Pritchard finished with seven points and 11 assists, while Luka Garza scored 14 points in 14 minutes off the bench. Garza shot 5-for-8 from the field, including two three-pointers, and helped the Celtics pull away in the fourth quarter.
Boston shot 48% from the field and recorded 31 assists on 44 made baskets. The Celtics also forced 29 turnovers, a major factor in limiting Charlotte’s offensive efficiency and creating opportunities to extend their lead.
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Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists, although he struggled with his shooting, making just four of 17 attempts. Tidjane Salaun added 16 points off the bench, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-8 from three-point range.
Royce O’Neale scored 12 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting performance from beyond the arc, while Naz Reid also contributed 12 points and six rebounds. Dennis Schroder finished with five points and two assists.
Charlotte cut the deficit to eight points early in the fourth quarter after Naz Reid’s three-pointer made it 80-88. Boston answered with a decisive run, highlighted by three-pointers from Baylor Scheierman and Garza, before extending the margin beyond 20 points.
