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The Celtics finished their preseason tune-up with a comfortable win over the Hornets<\/p>\n
With Al Horford sidelined for rest purposes, the Celtics<\/a> rolled out the same starting lineup they featured against the Knicks<\/a> on Tuesday: Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis. The group continued to showcase some seriously high upside, and cruised to an easy win over the Charlotte Hornets, 127-99.<\/p>\n Brown led the way this evening with an electric 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, on a night where the Celtics starters combined for 71 points and each scored in double-figures. Kristaps Porzingis impressed with an impactful two-way effort, scoring 14 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. For the Hornets, LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier combined for 30 points, but 23 team turnovers made it difficult to keep up with a Boston offense that continues to look dominant.<\/p>\n The Celtics\u2019 core rotation looked like a group ready for the games to count. They held the Hornets scores for a four-minute stretch in the first quarter, racing out to a 34-19 lead heading into the second in almost effortless fashion. Brown found the bottom of the net on a trio of three-pointers in the opening frame, but the team\u2019s active hands on defense provided the story of the first half. They turned over the sloppy Hornets offense 10 times, including three steals from White as part of an inspired defensive effort, and entered the halftime break with a 66-40 advantage.<\/p>\n