Hornets vs Celtics Preview: Young Hornets Aim to Test Celtics Return

Tonight the Charlotte Hornets visit the Boston Celtics in a big March game. Charlotte surprised the league with a young core that plays fast and scores. LaMelo runs the offense while Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller stretch defenses with shooting. Boston still packs star power with Jaylen Brown and returning Jayson Tatum progress.

Charlotte began the year with low expectations, but resilience paid off. LaMelo now runs pick-and-rolls and creates assists, while Miller takes shots as a primary scorer. Kon Knueppel shoots from deep and moves without the ball to stay open. Collin Sexton gives scoring from the bench, and bigs Diabate and Kalkbrenner protect the rim.

Boston kept winning despite worries when Jayson Tatum was hurt, and now he is progressing back. Jaylen Brown scored big and leads the team in points, while Derrick White does many things on both ends. Vucevic adds low-post scoring and Queta protects the rim. Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser keep spacing and bench shooting sharp.

Watch LaMelo versus Boston's guards because his passes will test the Celtics' closeouts. Kon's shooting will force Vucevic and Queta to guard further from the rim, opening lanes. PJ Hall is out, and Coby White is probable for Charlotte. Expect quick pace, pick-and-roll battles, bench scoring swings, and matchup adjustments late in the game.