NBA: Celtics clamp down in 2nd half to topple Hornets
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball in the fourth quarter during their game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on January 14, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images/AFP
Jayson Tatum racked up 33 points and Malcolm Brogdon tallied a season-high 30 as the Boston Celtics got it together in the second half for a 122-106 victory against the host Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.
Tatum shot 12-for-27 from the field (4-for-14 from 3-point range) and Brogdon came off the bench to make 11 of 17 shots from the floor (4-for-6 on 3-point tries).
The Hornets scored only 40 second-half points after leading at the break.
Al Horford had 16 points and Marcus Smart added 13 and 12 assists for the Celtics, who made 19 baskets from 3-point range as Boston won its sixth game in a row.
Malcolm Brogdon went off in the Celtics W:
30 PTS
3 REB
3 AST
4 Threes pic.twitter.com/APBN8nnJJ1— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2023
LaMelo Ball’s 31 points led the Hornets, while Terry Rozier posted 21 points and P.J. Washington had 14. Mason Plumlee added nine points and 16 rebounds.
The Celtics picked up steam with a huge third quarter, going up 95-85 entering the final quarter. Tatum poured in 17 of Boston’s 33 points in the quarter, leaving him just two points shy of the Hornets’ total in the quarter.
Charlotte threatened to rally in the fourth, but twice during that stretch Brogdon hit shots to stem any momentum that the Hornets might be generating.
By game’s end, the Celtics had tracked down 14 offensive rebounds and they committed only seven turnovers. Boston was 9-for-10 on free-throw attempts.
The Hornets shot 46.6 percent from the field, but they were hurt in particular by going 8-for-27 on 3-point attempts. Ball was 1-for-8 from deep.
The teams will meet again Monday afternoon, also in Charlotte.
Ball had 20 points by halftime, with the Hornets holding a 66-62 lead.
The Celtics had 12 first-half 3-point baskets and just 10 first-half 2-pointers.
Charlotte shot 59.1 percent from the field in the first half despite making only 6 of 15 shots from 3-point range.
Celtics guard Jaylen Brown missed his second consecutive game with right adductor tightness.
