BOSTON — The Celtics got another win in their penultimate game of the season, downing the Hornets 130-94 on Friday at TD Garden. The C’s improved to 60-21, their second straight season of 60-plus wins, while the Hornets dropped to 19-62. While the Celtics’ playoff standing won’t change as the No. 2 seed, they still played most of their regulars for Friday’s game. Only Jaylen Brown sat as he deals with a bone bruise in his right knee. Otherwise, the Celtics played their best guys in what’s likely one last game before turning their attention to the playoffs.
The Hornets led for most of the first half as they were hot from 3-point land. But the Celtics opened up a double-digit lead in the third quarter they wouldn’t give back. By the end of the game, the Celtics comfortably cruised to the victory in front of their home crowd, outscoring the Hornets 76-41 in the second half.
Jayson Tatum did it all with 16 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Al Horford added another 13 points and 11 rebounds while Derrick White had 19 points. Seth Curry had 17 points for the Hornets while Jusuf Nurkic contributed 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
The Celtics wrap up the regular season as they face the Hornets again at 1 p.m. on Sunday at TD Garden. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over Charlotte:
Final Tune-Up: It’s unlikely the Celtics run out their regulars come Sunday, so Friday was one last look to get the guys game reps. The C’s already have the No. 2 seed wrapped up, so these final games don’t mean anything for the standings. The Celtics played their guys through three quarters before making way for the reserves in the fourth quarter. Now, the regulars get essentially a week off until they open the playoffs next weekend. They’ll also wait to find out who they’ll play in the first round after Tuesday’s play-in tournament games.
Standings Watch: The Celtics won’t know their first-round opponent until next Tuesday, April 15, 2025, when the 7-8 play-in game wraps up. That matchup is official: the No. 8 Hawks will face the No. 7 Magic in Orlando with the winner getting the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The C’s also know who they could meet come the second round of the playoffs. The Knicks secured the No. 3 seed in the East while the Pistons will be the No. 6 seed. So the winner of that first-round series will await the Celtics, as long as Boston takes care of the No. 7 seed in the first round.
Living Close to the Edge: Even though the game didn’t matter much Friday, Tatum still picked up a technical foul with 1:47 left in the second quarter. That goes down as Tatum’s 15th technical foul of the season, though two of them were rescinded. A 16th tech on the season is an automatic one-game suspension, so Tatum ended up a few away on the season. The tech counter also resets for the playoffs, so there’s no danger of Tatum getting a suspension. It’s also the fourth straight season where Tatum has picked up at least 10 techs on the year.
Award Season: The NBA won’t announce postseason awards for a while as the voters make their picks, but the Celtics still gave out some hardware Friday. Jrue Holiday earned the Red Auerbach Award, which the team describes as the player or coach “who best exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a Celtic through exceptional performance on and off the court.” Holiday won the award this year, Derrick White got it in 2024 and Jaylen Brown in 2023. “Jrue has been key to the success of our team,” C’s governor Wyc Grousbeck said in a statement. “His commitment to excellence, both in his play and leadership, sets a standard for everyone around him. He always does the right thing in the right way. He is a perfect embodiment of what it means to be a Boston Celtic — dedicated, selfless, and relentless in his pursuit of success.”
As the Celtics gear up for the playoffs, they find themselves in a strong position with back-to-back seasons of 60+ wins for the first time since the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. The team’s performance against Charlotte showcased their depth and ability to dominate in the second half, a promising sign as they prepare for the postseason.
In this game, Payton Pritchard led the scoring for the Celtics with 22 points, complemented by Sam Hauser who added 20 points. Their contributions, along with Tatum's all-around performance, highlight the strength of the Celtics' roster as they aim for a deep playoff run. The Celtics are not just looking to maintain their winning momentum but also to solidify their chemistry and strategy heading into the playoffs.
With the playoffs on the horizon, the Celtics are poised to make a significant impact. The upcoming games will be crucial as they finalize their strategies and ensure that all players are in top form. The excitement builds as fans await the playoffs, with the Celtics looking to capitalize on their strong season and aim for a championship run.
