Full game highlights from the Celtics’ 113-107 win over the Charlotte Hornets. This win put the Celtics 3 wins over .500 for the first time this season.
The Boston Celtics earned a big win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night for their fifth victory in their last six games.
It came down to the final minute as ex-Celtic Terry Rozier drilled the game-tying 3 with 1:02 on the clock. Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart were able to knock down their free throws in crunch time to seal the 113-107 victory.
The win brings the C's three games above .500 (28-25) for the first time this season. They're now only a half-game behind Charlotte (28-24) for seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Forsberg's Mailbag: Plotting a trade deadline plan for the Celtics
Here are our instant takeaways from the Celtics' win. They'll look to keep it going Friday night when they visit the Detroit Pistons.
Celtics bench saves the day
With Tatum and Jaylen Brown double-teamed and unable to make their usual impact for most of the night, the Celtics needed their supporting cast to step up. The second unit answered the call.
Josh Richardson played the hero with a team-high 23 points. The first-year Celtic was on fire from beyond the arc with six made 3s on eight attempts.
Also making his presence felt off the bench was Grant Williams, who shot 3-for-6 from 3-point range. He notched 12 points to go with three rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes.
Dennis Schroder added six points, three assists, and two steals in 17 minutes. Altogether, the Celtics' second unit outscored Charlotte's, 41-19.
Marcus Smart's playmaking sets the tone
The Celtics are now 5-1 since Smart returned to the lineup. The veteran point guard shined again with 22 points (7-11 FG) and six assists in Wednesday night's win.
Smart entered Wednesday's action as a league-best +118 over the last five games. He was a +5 vs. Charlotte.
The longest-tenured Celtic's playmaking has been a game-changer, and it had a noticeable ripple effect on the rest of the team in this victory. Tatum had a game-high nine assists and is averaging 6.3 assists per game since Smart slotted back in at point guard. Brown added six assists of his own.
The Celtics finished with 31 assists on 42 field goals, making the third time in their last five games that they've reached the 30-assist mark. They had accomplished that feat only three times all season before that, twice in overtime. Their season-high for assists is 34.
Jaylen Brown: Not a headband guy
Jaylen Brown decided to rock the headband for Wednesday night's game. It's an uncommon look for the Celtics' All-Star wing and one we probably won't see again any time soon.
Brown struggled mightily in the first half with seven points and five turnovers in 18 minutes. He had no choice but to ditch the headband in the second half.
That proved to be a wise decision as Brown finished with 15 points (7-15 FG), six assists, and a clutch shot when the C's needed him most late in the fourth quarter.
It wasn't Brown's best performance, but we'll simply blame it on the fashion choice. He's been playing well enough as of late (29.0 ppg over last four games) to earn the benefit of the doubt.
