BOSTON – In a thrilling finish to the regular season, the Boston Celtics triumphed over the Charlotte Hornets with a final score of 93-86, marking their second consecutive home victory. Payton Pritchard emerged as a standout player, scoring an impressive 34 points, including 12 in the crucial final quarter. Despite leading by 21 points in the first half, the Celtics allowed the Hornets to inch closer, showcasing the challenges of a game played by bench players rather than regular starters.
Sam Hauser also contributed solidly to the Celtics’ score with 15 points, as the team improved to a striking 61-21 record. As they prepare to defend their NBA championship starting next weekend, their depth and talent on display, even from reserves, plays well into their strategy.
On the other side, the Hornets, who have struggled throughout the season, saw Josh Okogie and Jusuf Nurkic each add 14 points to the scoreboard, but faced their seventh consecutive loss, finishing with a disappointing record of 19-63. The team has not reached the playoffs since 2016 and ended the season on a rough note, having lost 12 of their last 13 games.
Notably, the Celtics opted to rest their star players in this matchup, with Jaylen Brown missing the final games of the season to manage a bothersome right knee. Just two days prior, the Celtics had a significant win over Charlotte by 36 points when most starters played.
Key moments in the game included Pritchard’s strong first-quarter performance, where he contributed nine of the early points that set Boston up with a strong lead. Reflecting on the season, Boston reached a remarkable milestone by making 14 three-pointers in this game, setting a new NBA record for the most three-pointers in a single season, previously held by the Golden State Warriors.
As the Celtics gear up for the playoffs, they await to find out who their first-round opponent will be, while the Hornets will turn their focus to off-season improvements in hopes of rebuilding their franchise for a stronger future.
