Like what I’ve done in the c/DetroitPistons community, I’ll also be setting up a monthly thread for Hornets post-game recaps starting with the November 17 and 18 back-to-back games against the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks, respectively
Like what I’ve done in the c/DetroitPistons community, I’ll also be setting up a monthly thread for Hornets post-game recaps starting with the November 17 and 18 back-to-back games against the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks, respectively
2023-11-20
Hornets Roar Back Late In Regulation, Shock Celtics For Overtime Victory
Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets
Ball Goes Off Again for 36 PTS; Bridges Comes Up Clutch in Start; Williams Has “Best Game”
With a seventh straight home loss peaking over the horizon, the Charlotte Hornets reversed course with a late fourth-quarter rally, then got some heroics and a dash of luck for a thrilling 121-118 overtime home victory over the red-hot Boston Celtics on Monday night.
LaMelo Ball was marvelous once again, finishing with a season-high 36 points on 15-of-27 shooting – 5-of-11 from 3-point range – nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 41 minutes. In the process, Ball became the second-quickest player in NBA history to reach 500 career 3-pointers (175 games) and now owns the second-longest streak of consecutive 25-point games ever by a Charlotte player (eight).
Powered in large part by Jayson Tatum’s career-high-tying 31 first-half points, Boston used a 37-15 run spanning the first two quarters to build an 18-point advantage, eventually taking a 65-54 lead into the break. Charlotte clawed back in third though, drawing within one multiple times, then entered the closing frame down by only six. Boston continued to stay out in front, finding itself up 108-99 with a mere 2:20 to go.
From there, Ball and Mark Williams combined for a 9-0 run, a spurt that ended with a game-tying layup by the former with seven seconds left on the game clock. Later in the final minute of overtime, Tatum drained a potentially back-breaking second-chance 3-pointer, but the Hornets quickly countered with a game-tying dunk. One possession later, Miles Bridges banged a go-ahead 3-pointer from the left wing, leaving Boston less than seven seconds to match.
Tatum managed to draw a Gordon Hayward shooting foul going for the equalizer, making the first two free throws, and luckily missing the third. Bridges grabbed the defensive board, Hayward redeemed himself with two made freebies at the other end and Bridges intercepted Jrue Holiday’s final inbounds pass to cap off the dramatic triumph.
“We fought, we battled,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford after the win, which also snapped Charlotte’s four-game losing streak and a six-game skid in the head-to-head series with Boston. “A lot of guys played well. The second half defense was the best we’ve played.”
Said Ball on his game-tying layup in the fourth, “We had a play drawn up and they were pretty much switching, so I just went for the ball and made a play. Definitely trying to use this win and take it to the next one. Hopefully, we’ve got a lot of energy, get another win, and then build from there.”
Hayward (20), Williams (18), PJ Washington (15) and Bridges (14) also scored in double figures, with Williams and Bridges wrangling a game-high 16 (eight offensive) and 15 rebounds, respectively. Finishing with a sensational plus-33 plus-minus rating, Clifford dubbed this the “best game” Williams has played in the NBA. “He made more effort plays than he’s made so far in his two years. He blitzed tonight well when we needed to do that, and he was good in the drop. He had a lot of juice tonight.”
Tatum finished with a game-high 45 points on 15-of-28 shooting, 13 rebounds and six assists in the loss, which snapped Boston’s six-game winning streak. Payton Pritchard found his shooting stroke amidst a dismal start to the season, contributing a campaign-best 21 points and a 5-of-8 clip from 3-point range off the bench. The Celtics finished minus-nine on the glass (57-48) and missed 10 free throws (18-of-28; 64.3%), while Charlotte was nearly perfect (16-of-17; 94.1%).
The Hornets will now close out their five-game homestand against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, Nov. 22 starting at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Follow all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.