Charlotte Hornets top Boston Celtics on Kemba Walker’s near-triple double
Kemba Walker finished an assist short of a triple-double in leading the Charlotte Hornets to a 124-117 victory over the Boston Celtics.
Walker finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. This was his 23rd game of 30 or more points this season for the three-time All-Star.
Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving finished with 31 points. Reserve Jaylen Brown added 29 points.
The Hornets improved to 34-39. They play at the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. The Celtics fell to 43-31 in their second loss this season to the Hornets.
Walker hit a 3-pointer with 1:18 left over Celtics forward Jayson Tatum for a one-point lead. The Hornets got a stop on the resulting Celtics possession.
Hornets forward Marvin Williams drew a foul from Irving. He hit both free throws with 41 seconds left to give Charlotte a three-point lead.
The two teams traded scoreless possessions, and the Celtics took over with 23 seconds left. Boston guard Terry Rozier missed a 3-pointer and Irving was forced to foul Williams again. Williams hit both free throws to push the Hornets’ lead to five with 14 seconds left.
Three who mattered
Irving: When he’s making his 3s (four of his first seven attempts), it’s so hard to contain him.
Walker: Was so efficient, he never committed a foul while playing 34 minutes.
Miles Bridges: A career-high 20 points in the latest in a string of strong performances by the rookie.
Observations
▪ For the second straight game, Hornets coach James Borrego’s rotation was “explore the youth”: He played 10 by the end of the first quarter, including Malik Monk, Willy Hernangomez and second-round pick Devonte Graham.
▪ It looks like Borrego isn’t going to put mileage on 36-year-old Tony Parker in games that aren’t really relevant anymore playoff-wise.
▪ Hornets rookie Miles Bridges took and made two 3-pointers early. The model for what Bridges becomes should be the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum: Shooting range at the offensive end and the ability to constantly switch defensively.
▪ Absurd 3-point shooting in the first half, when the Celtics and Hornets combined to make 20 of 37 attempts.
▪ The Celtics entered this game with their top two centers, Al Horford and Aron Baynes, injured. That caused them to give rookie Robert Williams his first NBA start, but he appeared to hurt his lower back in a first-half fall.
Worth mentioning
▪ Hornets guard-forward Nic Batum sat out the game with an illness. It was his second game missed this season; he was out of the road game against the Houston Rockets due to an eye abrasion.
▪ Dwayne Bacon made his second consecutive start for the Hornets; he replaced Batum as a starter Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
They said it
““We’ve been emphasizing it for a while now and finally our guys have turned the corner in that area. .” – Borrego, pregame, on not allowing 30 or more first-quarter points in three of the prior four games.
“‘The first time that Ron [Nored] cusses Shelvin [Mack] out please, please send me the video. That would be terrific.” –Stevens on two of his former Butler players — Hornets assistant coach Nored and reserve guard Mack — together in Charlotte.
Report card
B OFFENSE: The 3-point shooting in the first half kept the Hornets in the game.
C- DEFENSE: They never really slowed down the Celtics at the 3-point line.
B COACHING: Playing the young guys is the best use of these remaining games.
This story was originally published March 23, 2019 at 8:45 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets top Boston Celtics on Kemba Walker’s near-triple double."
