Boston’s sharp first quarter has the Celtics in control, with Jayson Tatum leading the early scoring burst.
On Friday, Boston blasted out to a 40-20 first-quarter lead and has stretched it to 42-20 early in the second. Jayson Tatum supplied the quarter’s headline, scoring 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting with three threes, four assists and four rebounds in 12 minutes. Derrick White added 10 points on a perfect 3-for-3 from the field, including 2-for-2 from deep, in 7:47. The 6-2 Celtics, ranked 10th in the power index, have opened a gap on Charlotte, which is 3-6 and ranked 24th; Boston averages 114.25 points per game, compared with the Hornets’ 98.11. Brandon Miller leads Charlotte with eight points, but is 0-for-3 from three as the Hornets look for a response.
Key Performers
Jayson Tatum (Boston): 18 PTS, 4 AST, 4 REB Derrick White (Boston): 10 PTS, 3-for-3 FG, 2-for-2 3PT Brandon Miller (Charlotte): 8 PTS, 3 REB