Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are maintaining their dominant form as the regular season winds down. In their most recent outing, they crushed the same opponent, the Charlotte Hornets, with a decisive 130-94 victory. Boston has now won 13 of its last 15 games, with the only losses coming against Miami and Orlando—both times when key players were unavailable. Sporting a 60-21 record, the Celtics sit comfortably in second place in the Eastern Conference and are locked into that playoff position.

The defending NBA champions have been operating at an elite level, and while a slower start to the season may have cost them the top seed, their depth and star power more than make up for it. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to be the team’s driving forces, leading in nearly every major category. The health of Kristaps Porzingis remains a significant storyline, as his two-way presence will be vital in the postseason.

Hornets Limp to the Finish Line

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets are wrapping up another tough season. Their recent loss to Boston marked their sixth consecutive defeat, and they've secured just two wins in their last 15 games—over the Knicks and Jazz. While their current rebuild explains some of these struggles, it's unclear how long the organization will continue with this approach. At 19-62, they’ll finish the year second-to-last in the East.

In their recent blowout loss to Boston, Seth Curry was the bright spot with a team-high 17 points. Jusuf Nurkic turned in a well-rounded performance, adding 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists—his best effort in a while. Mark Williams also delivered a double-double in limited minutes, but his future with the team is still uncertain. Star guard LaMelo Ball remains sidelined with an injury, continuing a frustrating season for the young Hornets squad.

The club finished second in the Eastern Conference at the end of the season. Cleveland looked stronger all season long, and the Celtics were unable to hold onto their title as the conference winners from the previous year. It wouldn't be accurate, though, to claim that Boston has dropped out of the running for the title. They are ranked second in the league in terms of points allowed (107.6) and ninth in terms of points scored (116.4). Boston will be regarded as the favorites since they have kept their lineup, their style, and their elite experience intact, regardless of who they play on their route to the championship.

The squad has among of the worst point differentials in the league, averaging minus 8.8 points per game (27th in the league), even though they have players like LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams (although with separate injury concerns). The lineup they will use against the Celtics is unknown. But this is pretty much irrelevant now. Their draft selection number and the player they choose are what really matter to them. We may then begin talking about expectations.