Boston Celtics defeat Hornets 104-86
The Boston Celtics played without four of their usual starters Saturday afternoon against the Charlotte Hornets, but that didn’t hold them back from cashing in for a 104-86 win at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The C’s showcased their depth, featuring a brand new starting lineup of Marcus Smart, Gerald Green, Jaylen Brown, Jae Crowder and Tyler Zeller. It took about a quarter and a half for Boston to get used to its new-look rotation, but once its offense got rolling, it was all uphill from there for the C’s.
Boston held a slim 32-30 lead at the 5:17 mark of the second quarter, when Brad Stevens reinserted Green and Zeller into the lineup with the hope of pulling away. Those two ended up sparking a run that the C’s would build off of for the rest of the afternoon.
Zeller was key during the first scoring spree, a 17-8 run during which he tallied six points two assists and a blocked shot over a five-minute and 13-second span to close the half.
The Celtics took a 49-38 lead to the break, and when they emerged for the second half, Green took the reigns from there.
The veteran guard, playing in a Celtics uniform for the first time since 2007, scored nine points during the first 5:08 of the third quarter, giving Boston a 17-point advantage over a Hornets team that was playing most of its starters.
Green and Zeller were subbed out midway through the third, but their momentum rubbed off on the reserves, allowing Boston to maintain its pace and follow through with a convincing win.
Gerald Green on playing in his first Celtics game since 2007.
