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If you caught Boston’s 54th win of the season on TV or at TD Garden, you would have thought it was a playoff game. The scrappy Hornets have been one of the best second half of the season teams and could knock off a contender in the first round. But after leading by as many as 11 points in the first half, they could not withstand a strong offensive showing from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and the Celtics suffocating D that allowed a dismal 3-of-18 from behind the arc in the second half.
After beating the Hornets, one win or a Knicks loss clinches the #2 seed for the Celtics; the two teams meet at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Boston’s championship odds have remained steady all month with our friends at FanDuel and are +600 to raise Banner 19 and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.
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Jaylen Brown
43 minutes, 26 points (3-10 from 3, 6-7 from the free throw line, 13-29 from the field), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 turnovers, one steal, one block +9
We can quibble about what MVP means. Is it the most important player on each team and how much he means to their success or is it the best player in the league regardless of his team’s standing? Is offense more important than defense or vice versa?
Regardless of the debate, what Jaylen Brown did on Tuesday night against the Hornets was the stuff of an MVP candidate.
We’ve noted that over the past few weeks since Tatum’s return, Brown has made it a priority to drive and often force the officials to make a call. Just as they did against Toronto on Sunday, the Jays carried the scoring burden with JB scoring 17 of his 35 points in the second half. He had his issues with five turnovers, but probably deserved more than seven trips to the line.
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Grade: A-
Jayson Tatum
39 minutes, 23 points (3-7 from 3, 4-5 from the free throw line, 8-15 from the field), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, one steal, +12
At Game #15 for Tatum, it feels like he’s good for 20+ points, five rebounds, and five assists every night. That’s the floor. He didn’t get close to recording a triple-double, but the bigger number of the night…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/hornets-vs-celtics-player-grades-081319486.html
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Publish date : 2026-04-08 08:13:00
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