After a pair of tough-to-swallow losses towards playoff contenders, the Boston Celtics couldn’t proper the ship towards the scuffling Charlotte Hornets, blowing an 18-point lead within the fourth quarter in a 124-117 loss at Spectrum Center.
Kemba Walker was a drive, ending with 36 factors, 9 assists and 11 rebounds, out-dueling Kyrie Irving within the fourth quarter.
Irving led the Celtics with 31 factors. Jaylen Brown continued to impress whereas coming off the bench, going for 29 factors. Marcus Morris (15), Jayson Tatum (12) and Terry Rozier (12) additionally completed in double figures.
With the loss, the Celtics fall to 43-30, whereas the Hornets transfer to 33-39 with the win.
Here’s the way it all went down.
STARTING FIVE
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Marcus Smart
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Marcus Morris Sr.
C: Robert Williams III
KYRIE’S COOKING
After falling behind within the opening minutes, the Celtics completed the primary on a tear due to a monster quarter from Irving, taking a 35-29 lead into the second.
Making the primary begin of his profession, Robert Williams wasted little time getting concerned on protection, sending the Hornets’ first shot of the sport into the stands.
That didn’t gradual the Hornets an excessive amount of, because the hosts opened up a 14-6 lead after Miles Bridges hit a pair of free throws with 7:45 to play within the first. But the remainder of the quarter belonged to Irving, who led Boston on a 9-Zero tear over the subsequent 2:01, capping the run with a pull-up trey to make it 15-14.
Irving stayed scorching, ending 7-for-9 from the ground and 2-for-Three from deep within the opening 12 to steer all gamers with 16 factors.
INJURY BUG BITES AGAIN
The Celtics had been unable to tug away within the second quarter, however a powerful half shooting-wise helped the C’s take a 64-63 lead into the break.
Boston shot 53 % from the ground within the first half, and was 11-for-19 from past the arc. But extra unhealthy information got here on the harm entrance because the C’s misplaced Williams for the sport on account of a again harm.
Irving prolonged Boston’s result in double figures with a financial institution shot to make it 56-46 with 4:50 to play within the half. But simply when it appeared just like the C’s might construct a giant lead heading into the break, the Hornets got here again with a 9-Zero run, with Walker making it a 56-55 recreation after a three-point play with 2:41 to play within the half.
Irving led all gamers with 18 factors on the half. Walker had 13 for the Hornets.
BREATHING ROOM
A final-minute run helped the Celtics take a 98-89 lead into the ultimate quarter, outscoring the Hornets 34-26 within the third.
Three-point pictures from Tatum and Morris noticed the Celts open up a 84-76 lead with 6:04 to play within the third. But Charlotte answered with triples from Walker and Malik Monk to slender the sport to 84-82 with 4:06 remaining.
Boston went on an necessary 8-Zero within the ultimate minute of the quarter, sparked by Irving.
Irving then kicked out to Morris for a nook three to make it 98-89 with 37.9 seconds remaining.
CELTICS BLOW IT
Boston constructed up an 18-point lead within the fourth, solely to see it come crashing down within the closing minutes.
At first, the Celtics lastly had been in a position to create some separation from the Hornets within the fourth, with Tatum hitting a trey to make it an 11-point recreation.
Another triple from Brown made it 110-94 with 8:55 to play. But it didn’t final.
Charlotte climbed again inside single digits with a Marvin Williams trey to make it 112-105 with 4:28 to play. Walker hit a pull-up three to make it 115-11 with 2:55 left. Walker put the Hornets up 118-117 with a fadeaway nook three with 1:19 remaining.
Williams prolonged the result in 120-117 on the line with 41.2 seconds left after an Irving turnover.
The Celtics had been unable to transform quite a lot of probabilities to tie the sport, however Williams made it a five-point recreation on the line with 14 seconds left, permitting the Hornets pulled off the inconceivable comeback, closing the sport on a 30-5 run.
Yes, 30-5.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Feeling it.
UP NEXT
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