David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Hornets: Jayson Tatum Scores 35 Points in Three Quarters as Boston Cruises to Fourth-Straight Victory
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"We just wanted to focus on us and (on) building great habits," conveyed Marcus Smart after the Celtics' 140-105 win over the Hornets.
With LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, and Terry Rozier inactive for a six-win Charlotte team, staying locked in represented more of a challenge than Monday's opposition.
But Boston capitalized on a valuable opportunity to keep minutes down and call it an early night.
Jayson Tatum registered 35 points in three quarters in a performance that earned him a game-high plus-minus rating of plus-45.
At plus-44, the second-highest plus-minus rating belonged to the Celtics' floor general. Smart dished out a career-high 15 assists, pairing it with 22 points on 8/11 shooting, including drilling six of his nine attempts from beyond the arc, and he swiped two steals.
And Boston's bench, determined not to let a large lead slip to the point starters have to return to secure the win for the second night in a row, contributed 51 points, helping the hosts build an advantage that grew as high as 42.
Maintaining an up-tempo pace and keeping the ball moving, translating to 40 assists on 55 field goals, also played a central role in maintaining control of the game and leading wire-to-wire.
Now, a deep dive into what stood out in the Celtics' 140-105 victory over the Hornets.
Celtics Pace and Ball Movement Fuel 45-Point First Frame
Throughout the opening quarter, the Celtics played up-tempo, pairing that with crisp ball movement, translating to open, in-rhythm shots nearly every time down the floor.
Boston parlayed those opportunities into 45 points on 73.9 percent shooting, including converting on 10/15 (66.7 percent) attempts from beyond the arc. The Celtics assisted on 13 of their 17 field goals.
Jayson Tatum led all scorers in the first frame, producing 16 points on 6/9 shooting, burying three of his six threes.
Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon each chipped in ten points. The former did so on 4/5 shooting, making 2/3 long-range looks, while the latter knocked down all four of his shots, including a pair of threes.
Even the six turnovers the hosts committed didn't stand in the way of Boston building a 26-point advantage, entering the second quarter with a 45-19 lead over an outmatched Hornets team.
Blake Griffin Turns Back the Clock
With Al Horford not playing on the second half of a back-to-back, Blake Griffin started on Monday. Griffin hasn't played since logging seven minutes 12 days ago against the Hawks.
The six-time All-Star provided an infusion of energy, including keeping a possession alive with two offensive rebounds, eventually leading to a Derrick White three.
Griffin also turned back the clock, cutting baseline, collecting a lob from White off a short roll, and throwing down an emphatic one-handed jam that sent the TD Garden faithful into a frenzy.
Griffin, who drilled an open three on the game's first possession and had another dunk in him, plus one that came after a whistle, finished the first half with nine points, four rebounds, and a plus-minus rating of plus-19.
Celtics Score 78 Points in the First Half
Sunday, with Tatum sidelined due to a left ankle sprain, Boston registered 72 points in the first half of its 130-121 win against the Wizards. Monday, Jaylen Brown (neck stiffness) and Al Horford were inactive, and the Celtics still produced 78 in the game's first 24 minutes.
The pace and outstanding ball movement previously cited led to the hosts knocking down 66.7 percent of their shots, including 14/25 threes (56 percent), as they assisted on 22 of their 30 field goals.
Led by a game-high 22 points from Tatum, after growing the lead as large as 30, Boston entered the break with a 78-55 advantage.
Boston's Second Unit Helps Secure the Win Early
The Celtics' second unit entered Monday's game with the third-best plus-minus rating among NBA bench units (plus-2.6).
Motivated by not closing out Sunday's win vs. Washington, forcing Brown and Smart back into the game, Boston's bench redeemed itself against the Hornets.
In a stellar performance, Malcolm Brogdon provided 21 points on 8/9 shooting, drilled all three of his long-range attempts, dished out six assists, and grabbed five rebounds.
Luke Kornet delivered multiple above-the-rim finishes, even making a flying bird gesture after one of the alley-oops he was on the receiving end of, and finishing with nine points, eight rebounds, and a block.
The Celtics also got 11 points from Sam Hauser, helping Tatum, Brogdon and Kornet take the fourth quarter off. White and Grant Williams also enjoyed most of the final frame from the bench.
Up Next
The Celtics host the Heat on Wednesday. The game tips off at 7:30 pm EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
Further Reading
Former All-Star Celtics Guard Reportedly Set to Sign With Mavericks
The Top 5 Plays from Sunday's Celtics-Wizards Game
Jaylen Brown's Comments After Celtics Win Should Scare Opposing Teams
