The Charlotte Hornets (6-14, 3-8 Away) will try to slow down the league’s top scoring team when they are on the road to face the Boston Celtics (16-4, 9-1 Home) on Monday. Charlotte narrowly defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-108 at Spectrum Center on Friday. Kelly Oubre Jr. had a standout performance with 28 points. The Hornets are 13th in the Eastern Conference.
Boston is playing on back-to-back days after winning their third in a row yesterday at TD Garden, beating the Washington Wizards 130-121. Jaylen Brown had 36 points to lead the team. The Celtics are 1.5 games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks atop the Eastern Conference, currently sitting in first.
The teams are meeting for the first time this season. Boston won three out of four games between the teams last season, including a 115-101 triumph in their last meeting at Spectrum Center on March 9. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 44 points. PJ Washington had 17 points in the losing effort.
The Hornets have been led this season by Oubre Jr., who is averaging 19.6 points per game, best in the NBA. Meanwhile, Mason Plumlee is grabbing 9.1 rebounds per game, most in the league, and Dennis Smith Jr. is dishing 5.7 assists (1st).Tatum (30.5 ppg) and Brown (26.1) have powered the Celts’ offense.
Tatum leads the league in scoring, while Brown is first. Tatum also has pulled down 7.9 rebounds per game, most in the league. Marcus Smart has tallied 7.1 assists per game. The Celtics are the highest-scoring offense in the league with 120.4 points per game. The Hornets are only 1-9 in their last 10 visits to TD Garden.
Boston has won eight straight at home this season. Meanwhile, the Celtics are 3-0 when playing on consecutive nights this season and 0-0 with a rest disadvantage. The Hornets are 1-2 with a rest advantage.
Charlotte is 3-7 in the last 10 games with an average margin of -5.1 (108.8-113.9). Boston has a 9-1 record over the last 10, scoring 122.9 points per game on average while holding opponents to 112.2 (+10.7 margin).
HORNETS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
LaMelo Ball: 33.0 | 22.5 | +10.5
Dennis Smith Jr.: 7.5 | 18.3 | -10.8
Points per game:
LaMelo Ball: 26.0 | 14.5 | +11.5
Rebounds per game:
Nick Richards: 9.0 | 6.7 | +2.4
Assists per game:
Dennis Smith Jr.: 2.5 | 5.7 | -3.2
CELTICS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Assists per game:
Jayson Tatum: 6.5 | 4.6 | +1.9
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Boston Celtics -10.5 (-110)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
