Jayson Tatum scored 32 points and Jaylen Brown pumped in 25 as the Boston Celtics fended off the host Charlotte Hornets in a 124-109 victory Friday night.
Derrick White added 17 points, Jrue Holiday posted 14 points and Neemias Queta had 12 points as the Celtics responded from their overtime loss at Indiana on Wednesday — their only setback this season. Tatum also pulled in 11 rebounds.
LaMelo Ball racked up 31 points and four assists to lead the Hornets. Tre Mann had 23 points and Miles Bridges chipped in 14.
The Hornets knocked down 19 3-pointers, but Boston outscored Charlotte 29-6 at the free-throw line.
Charlotte forward Grant Williams was ejected with 2:02 left in the fourth quarter after being called for a flagrant foul.
The game pitted first-year Hornets coach Charles Lee against the team he helped guide to an NBA title as an assistant coach last season.
Boston’s 11-point lead in the third lead was cut to 85-84 after Mann made a layup with 2:39 left in the quarter. The Celtics took a 92-86 cushion into the fourth.
Charlotte trimmed its deficit to 100-99 but was held to only two points over the next four-plus minutes as Boston’s lead grew to 111-101 after Holiday’s free throw with 4:13 left in the game.
The Hornets scored 21 points over the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half to trim its deficit to 71-67 at halftime.
The Celtics shot 52 percent from the floor and made all 10 of their free throws in the first half. Charlotte shot 51.1 percent from the floor and went 13-for-29 on 3-pointers before the break.
Boston finished the first quarter on a 17-8 spurt to take a 40-25 lead.
The teams will meet again in Charlotte on Saturday night.
–Field Level Media
