Despite enduring an instant setback, the Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 122-106, at Spectrum Center on Saturday night.
The Celtics improved their NBA-best record to 32-12 and notched a sixth straight win, while the Hornets fell to 11-33 and lost their fourth consecutive contest.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
The Celtics displayed their ability to adapt and overcome in-game challenges yet again.
Before Boston took the floor in Charlotte, veteran Luke Kornet highlighted the team's response when tasked with overcoming adversity such as role changes and absences. And that's exactly what they had to do in order to overcome a subpar Hornets team.
Just four minutes into the game, Derrick White went down with a neck sprain, which sidelined him for the remainder of the contest. With Boston already missing Jaylen Brown for a second consecutive game, the Celtics found themselves in a familiar spot they've encountered plenty of times this season.
Charlotte assembled an early 16-point lead over Boston after White made his way off the floor.
However, Jayson Tatum and Malcolm Brogdon rose to the occasion and combined to score 63 points to lead the way for the Celtics. Every Celtics starter finished with a positive plus-minus rating which spoke further volumes to Boston's depth.
STARS OF THE GAME
-- Tatum led all scorers with yet another MVP-caliber display. He scored a game-high 33 points on 12-of-27 shooting from the field with nine rebounds and six assists. He registered a plus-26 rating. Tatum also notched his fourth performance of at least 30 points in the last five games.
-- Brogdon quickly stepped up when the opportunity presented itself in wake of White's departure. He scored a season-high 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including a 4-of-6 showing from beyond the arc, with three assists.
-- LaMelo Ball delivered an elite performance for the Hornets. The All-Star guard scored 31 points with seven rebounds and nine assists to finish just short of a triple-double.
WAGER WATCH
DraftKings Sportsbook set the odds of Al Horford's assist total at 2.5 with -135 odds on the Over. Horford cleared those odds with ease and finished with a season-high six assists. A $100 bet on the veteran big man would've resulted in a $174.07 total payout.
UP NEXT
The Celtics will wrap up their three-game road trip with a second straight game against the Hornets on Monday. Tipoff from Spectrum Center is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
