Game Flow
Four reasons why they won
Jayson Tatum looked like Jayson Tatum
Payton Pritchard keeps thriving when Jaylen Brown sits
LaMelo Ball and Kon Knuppel were kept in check
The Celtics got something from everyone who played
Player Grades
Jayson Tatum came out hot and stayed that way in his best game of the season, but he didn’t do it all by himself. Payton Pritchard and Neemias Queta were also huge in a game missing Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. The Boston Celtics win 114-99, their 50th win of the season and they'e clinched not only a playoff birth, but a top-four seed.
Box Score
Game Flow
Tatum looked good out of the gate as the teams went back-and-forth to start the game. He was aggressive and more explosive than usual, scoring nine points in less than seven minutes. Queta picked up the scoring after Tatum hit the bench, scoring six in the first as the Celtics went up 27-21.
Ron Harper Jr. helped grow the lead to 16 less than three minutes into the second quarter with heavy lifting on both ends of the floor that sparked a 10-0 run. It got up to 19 at one point with Tatum, Pritchard, and Baylor Scheierman all getting turns burning the Hornets. It settled at 14 at halftime, 63-49.
Pritchard kept rolling to start the third, but then Tatum took over again. Each had seven heading into the second TV timeout. Pritchard added a couple more but the Hornets went on a 12-6 run, all with Tatum on the bench, to cut a 20-point lead back to 14 heading into the fourth.
LaMelo Ball got going to start the fourth and cut the lead down to nine. But the Celtics went on an 11-4 run out of a timeout, capped by a contested Tatum three-pointer, to go back up 16. They never looked back from there.
Four reasons why they won
Jayson Tatum looked like Jayson Tatum
Here’s how he opened the game:
JT at it early 🫣 pic.twitter.com/38hFMCKDRI
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 29, 2026
The opening drive and dunk showed a burst we haven't seen much of. He followed that up with incredibly hot shooting and good defense on the other end. It was the kind of game we’re used to seeing from Tatum.
How he’s doing it three weeks into his return is beyond me. This isn’t supposed to be happening this way, but it is. He cooled off a little later, but also slammed the door on the Hornets after their late run.
Payton Pritchard keeps thriving when Jaylen Brown sits
NBC Sports Boston has a bit they do about who will step up when guys are out, and at this point no one should be allowed to pick Pritchard. He averages about 26 points when Brown sits, and he scored 28 in this one.
He only hit two three-pointers on his way to the 28, which is part of Pritchard’s magic this season. He was 7-9 in the paint non-restricted area.
LaMelo Ball and Kon Knuppel were kept in check
Ball went on a little run at the start of the fourth but overall, was just 7-19 from the field, 3-12 from three. Knuppel was 5-13 overall and 1-6 from three. Those are their main offensive engines, and if they're inefficient, the 99 points Charlotte scored in this game is the result. The Celtics were also able to keep the Hornets off the boards, holding a team that averages 17.5 second chance points to just five.
The Celtics got something from everyone who played
Jordan Walsh started and, while missed a bunch of shots, was a beast defensively and on the offensive boards. Queta was great. Scheierman had 14 off the bench. Harper had a great stretch. Everything Joe Mazzulla touched turned to gold in this game.
Player Grades
Jayson Tatum: A+ (32 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists)
He reached 14,000 career points in this game. He’s the ninth Celtic to ever do it, the youngest Celtic to ever do it, and he did in the second-fewest games.
Incredible night for him. Not only did he look like himself scoring-wise, he looked like himself confidence-wise.
Payton Pritchard: A+ (28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists)
I’m always amazed at his rebounding. His game is almost like a big middle finger to the tall people on the floor. He just goes into their domain and thrives. It’s like a honey badger fearlessly rolling into a pride of lions. He shouldn’t be there, but he doesn't care. He’ll bite, scratch, and claw and own his space.
Neemias Queta: A (17 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block)
His progression from last season has been incredible. The passing, the finishing, the defense. I was the biggest Queta skeptic and he has proven all of my concerns wrong. He finished at the rim, with floaters in the middle of the lane, and with one ridiculous dunk.
SPACE JAM 💪😤 pic.twitter.com/FYXPHSrM2Z
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 29, 2026
Jordan Walsh: B+ (3 points, 7 rebounds 2 assists, 1 steal)
He got the start and was assigned to bother Ball with his length. The plan worked perfectly, and Ball was a non-factor for most of the game. Walsh does need to hit his shots, though. He can’t be 0-4 from three very often. He was still +14 though, which is a testament to his defense.
Baylor Scheierman: B+ (14 points 1 rebound 3 assists)
He hit some big shots, the biggest of which was a three when the Hornets started to blitz Tatum. This is a critical shot for him to make in the playoffs when teams will be daring anyone but Tatum and Brown to beat them.
👍 pic.twitter.com/EBQ8QhE2dE
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 29, 2026
Ron Harper Jr.: B+ (7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block)
It’s a shame he sprained his right ankle, because he came in during the non-Tatum minutes and gave Boston a great spark.
GOO RON 😤 pic.twitter.com/3aIdIv6dOu
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 29, 2026
The one steal he had was an incredible defensive play where he jabbed at Coby White to make him think it was a double team and then recovered to steal the pass.
Sam Hauser: B (7 points, 3 rebounds)
Solid night. Nothing notable.
Luka Garza (2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists), Hugo Gonzalez (3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal): C
Each had a moment or two in the game, but Mazzulla opted to go away from Garza and more Tatum at the five later in the game. Gonzalez continues to find his way into some negative numbers, finishing the game a -12 in 13 minutes of a 15-point win.