Final: Celtics 120, Hornets 111 - Celtics snap 3-game losing streak

TIP OFF: 7:30 p.m @ TD Garden
RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub
TV: NBC Sports Boston

Predicted Starting Lineups

• The Celtics allow a lot of dribble penetration. It hurts them so much that I have to wonder if the Celtics won't go to more zone in the playoffs


• Aaron Nesmith has come alive, blocking two shots before drilling an important corner 3-pointer


• Tremont Waters has done a few nice things in this game, but this fourth quarter has not contained any of them. He's been getting regularly roasted and he's committed some bad turnovers, turning away easy passes while trying to force tougher ones


• Tatum has 35, Brown has 34, and they're working well together in the 4th


• We've entered "The Aaron Nesmith Game" territory. After picking off a pass like a free safety, he got a leak-out dunk to make it a 13 point game with 2:02 left


• Jaylen Brown capped it off with a nice layup. He and Tatum have combined for 73 of Boston's 120 points.

• The Celtics looked like they were on their way to starting the second half like they started the first, but then Charlotte got hot. They went on an 11-1 run behind Devonte' Graham, who scored 8 points and assisted on the other basket


• Charlotte has gone to some zone and the Celtics are no longer getting to the rim and attacking like they did earlier in the game.


• Jaylen Brown, who was 8-11 and scored 20 points in the first quarter, is 1-4 since for 6 points.


• Tatum has picked up that slack some, and he's nearly caught up to Brown with his 25 points


• The Celtics defense has gotten loose, but the Celtics managed to minimize the damage a little, losing the quarter by 3 and holding an 8 point lead heading into the fourth

• Charlotte opened on a 9-2 run


• Tristan Thompson has 5 offensive rebounds. His size is a problem for the Hornets right now


• The Celtics are playing uptempo right now. They are attacking (30 points in the paint), and so far they've put up 16 more shots than Charlotte


• Robert Williams, already with one monster block in his pocket, made a great play in transition to get his second block on Graham


• Cody Zeller killed the Celtics at the rim towards the end of the quarter, and Charlotte answers Boston's 39-19 quarter with a 28-19 quarter to go into halftime down 11

• Tremont Waters got the start for the Celtics and scored the first basket of the game


• Jaylen Brown picked up where he left off against Oklahoma City. He's got 5 quick points, 2 rebounds, and an assist


• The Hornets did not come out quite has hot as they did a few days ago. They're 4-12 to start the game. The Celtics defense isn't stifling, but it's better


• Brown is up to 12 points 5 rebounds nd 2 assists at the 2:37 mark. The energy on the floor is noticeably different


• Make that 20 points for Jaylen Brown. He was an absolute flame thrower, going 8-11.

• Point Spread: Celtics -7.5


• Over-Under: 216


• Money line: Celtics -305, Hornets +255

Prediction