Boston didn’t win this game in the opening 12 minutes. It won it everywhere else.
After spotting Charlotte an early lead, the Celtics (54-25) detonated in the middle quarters and closed with a fourth-quarter defensive stand to beat the Hornets (43-37) 113-102 Wednesday night at TD Garden.
The numbers that decided it
Boston’s middle quarters: 35 points in the second, 35 more in the third. That 70-point burst flipped a 31-20 first-quarter deficit into full control.
Charlotte’s finish: 15 points in the fourth quarter. The Hornets’ offense dried up precisely when the game demanded answers.
Ball movement: Charlotte finished with 24 assists to Boston’s 22, but the Celtics’ shot-making in the second and third quarters overwhelmed the Hornets’ creation.
Game flow: from early punch to Celtics’ counter
First quarter: Hornets land first
Charlotte came out sharp, hanging 31 points in the first quarter while Boston managed 20. The Hornets’ early pace and execution put immediate pressure on Boston to respond.
Second quarter: TD Garden swings it back
Boston’s response was emphatic: a 35-point second quarter that didn’t just erase the deficit — it changed the tone. The Celtics’ offense found rhythm, and the game’s leverage shifted away from Charlotte.
Third quarter: the turning point
The decisive stretch arrived after halftime. While Charlotte put up 26 in the third, Boston matched its second-quarter output with another 35. That combination — sustained scoring plus a step up defensively — created the separation Charlotte never recovered from.
Fourth quarter: Celtics close, Hornets stall
With the game on the line, Boston posted 23 in the fourth and held Charlotte to 15. The Hornets had generated enough offense to stay within range through three quarters; they couldn’t manufacture the same quality late, and Boston’s control of the final period turned a competitive night into an 11-point win.
What it means going forward
For Boston, this was a mature win: absorb an early hit, then win the game with sustained offense and a fourth-quarter defensive clamp. At 54-25 and coming off a recent run of form that included four straight wins before its last outing, the Celtics looked like a team comfortable toggling between pace and precision depending on what the game demands.
For Charlotte, now 43-37, the blueprint was visible — strong start, consistent creation (24 assists), and enough scoring punch through three quarters — but the finish wasn’t. The Hornets’ recent form had been strong, yet this one underscored how thin the margin gets against elite teams when fourth-quarter execution slips.
Quarter-by-quarter
Hornets: 31 | 30 | 26 | 15 — 102
Celtics: 20 | 35 | 35 | 23 — 113