Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
The Celtics closed out the 2010s today by cruising to a 109-92 win over the Hornets at Charlotte. The home team hung around for three quarters, but the Cs were comfortably in control until pulling away in the 4th quarter. Charlotte was held to 39.5% shooting and committed 17 turnovers.
FINAL: Celtics 109, Hornets 92
Tatum (24 points), Kemba (22 points) and Hayward (21 points) combine for 67, while Kanter pours in 13 points, 14 boards and a career-best six blocks off the bench.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) December 31, 2019
☘️ Celtics 109 🐝 Hornets 92
💇♂️ Gordon Hayward: 21 pts, 9-14 FG, 10 reb, 6 ast
🙅🏻♂️ Enes Kanter career-best 6 blocks (also 13 pts, 14 reb)
2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ Celtics play 23 games in 42 days starting Friday
🥳 Happy New Year, everybody!— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) December 31, 2019
As usual, the Cs were shorthanded: East Player of the Week Jaylen Brown didn’t travel to Charlotte.
#NEBHInjuryReport Brad Stevens says Jaylen Brown has a sinus infection and is feeling better today. He is OUT today in Charlotte and is day-to-day, according to coach.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 31, 2019
Marcus Smart will start in place of Jaylen Brown.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) December 31, 2019
Tipoff was at the odd time (for a Tuesday) of 3 p.m., apparently to allow fans extra time to get ready for their New Year’s Eve festivities. Early action:
Easy put down for Tatum 🔨
Vote NOW to get him to All-Star https://t.co/FMwC6YTlFy pic.twitter.com/xoeicHnAj7— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 31, 2019
Tatum, who scored 22 in the 4th quarter vs. Charlotte nine days ago, was again scorching.
End of 1: Boston 24, Charlotte 18
Jayson Tatum leads all scorers with 13 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting (3-3 3-PT)
— Celtics Stats (@celtics_stats) December 31, 2019
The Celtics took a 28-18 lead in the 2nd quarter as the Hornets were held 5-and-1/2 minutes without a field goal.
Charlotte finally scores and it's against the best defense the C's played in the quarter
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) December 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1212113097919488002?s=20
Gordon Hayward heated up to help the Celts go ahead by 14. Gordo had 10 points, 4 boards and 3 dimes in the 2nd.
Out of the way 🚜Hayward coming through pic.twitter.com/h8ujtz5ils
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 31, 2019
But it wasn’t all easy.
9-0 Hornets run. They've cut the Celtics lead down to 5.
Then Kemba scores to kill the run.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) December 31, 2019
Kemba gettin in the 🎨
Don't forget to vote to get him to All-Starhttps://t.co/nvx9pYbkQP pic.twitter.com/1TXR843I7g— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 31, 2019
Closer at halftime than it probably should’ve been.
HALF: Celtics 50, Hornets 43
Already three double-digit scorers for Boston: Tatum w/ 13, Hayward w/ 12, Kemba w/ 10. Hornets shooting just 40.5%.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) December 31, 2019
Early 3rd quarter looked good – Celtics took a 12-point lead.
Hayward ➡️Tatum pic.twitter.com/Xi11ATYLLt
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 31, 2019
But the Hornets rallied back to within 59-55. Now here’s a Marcus Smart story in three parts.
First:
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1212122989472485376?s=20
Second:
A lot of guys would've just ceded the easy dunk there and moved on. But Smart went strong for the block, committed a hard foul, and Washington missed both FTs.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) December 31, 2019
Third:
Blocking a dunk into a decapitation attempt from Smarf is a straight up wrestling move
I call it…
The Guillotine
— Chris Wozniak (@wlohaty) December 31, 2019
This was special.
Tatum for 2️⃣
Get him to All-Star by voting at https://t.co/FMwC6YTlFy pic.twitter.com/HzGVgNM3ne— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 31, 2019
The Charlotte crowd didn’t much care, however.
This crowd is so quiet it feels like the fans are just here to watch some basketball and however things end up that's fine by them
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) December 31, 2019
Hayward and Kemba each had 7 points in the third, but the Hornets were still hanging around.
Celtics up 80-73 after three.
Hayward – 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists
Tatum – 19 points
Walker – 17 points
Celtics – 19 assists on 32 baskets, 10 offensive reboundsBridges – 11 points
Washington – 11 points
Rozier – 10 points
Zeller – 10 points
Hornets – 14 turnovers— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) December 31, 2019
Gordon Hayward finishes the third quarter leading the #Celtics in points (19), rebounds (8) and assists (5)
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) December 31, 2019
Early 4th quarter, Boston ran off 6 straight points, two of the hoops being Kanter putbacks, to lead 86-75. Tatum and Brad Wanamaker drained threes to push the lead to 92-79 with 7:13 remaining. The Celtics continued to make shots, and when Kemba scored a driving and-one the lead was 103-83 with 4:23 to play. Cue garbage time.
Celtics player with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks in a game off the bench since 1984:
– Kevin McHale
– Tony Battie
– Enes Kanter pic.twitter.com/bjyBGZAsSJ— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 31, 2019
Where are all the Enes Kanter haters in my timeline?
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) December 31, 2019
Happy New Year!
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