Boston Celtics vs Charlotte Hornets preview and prediction for 2024 Summer League | July 17
Defending champions Boston Celtics will play the third game of their Summer League campaign against the Charlotte Hornets at the Cox Pavilion Arena in Las Vegas. The Hornets, on the other hand, have played five games in the Summer League, three as part of the California Classic, and have won each of them.
The Hornets' most recent victory came against the Denver Nuggets, which was their second game of the ongoing Las Vegas NBA Summer League. It came off the back of a 21-point display from 20-year-old Nick Smith Jr., with the likes of Mike Morgan and Marcus Garrett impressing as well.
The Celtics come into this game off the back of a thrilling 88-74 win over the LA Lakers. Neemias Queta has been the star of the campaign thus far and added 22 points and eight rebounds against the Lakers, with the likes of Drew Peterson, Jordan Walsh, and Jahmi'us Ramsey all impressing. They opened their summer league campaign with a win over the Miami Heat.
Boston Celtics vs Charlotte Hornets game details and odds
Set to tip-off at 5:30pm EDT on July 17, the game will be played at the Cox Pavilion Arena in Las Vegas. It will be available to be watched live on the Bally Sports Southeast network, and can also be viewed on NBA TV. Fans who have purchased a League Pass can watch the game live on the official NBA app as well.
The following odds apply for the game:
Moneyline: Celtics (-135), Hornets (+114)
Spread: Celtics (-2.5)
Over/Under (+/-): 179 (o/u)
Boston Celtics vs Charlotte Hornets preview
The Celtics’ youngsters have a chance to prove their worth against a team that has yet to lose a single Summer League game. Neemias Queta, who has been rewarded with a 3-year contract by the Celtics, will once again be the player expected to lead the charge, with multiple other stars like Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman also playing for their NBA futures.
The same is true about Nick Smith Jr., who has a 4-year contract with the Hornets, with stars such as Garrett, Leaky Black, and Brandon Slater all hoping to impress the front office.
Boston Celtics vs Charlotte Hornets starting lineups
Both teams are expected to majorly stick with the starting lineups that they picked in their previous games. For the Celtics, Jordan Walsh and Drew Peterson will start as forwards with Neemias Queta as the Center once again:
Jordan Walsh (F), Drew Peterson (F), Neemias Queta (C), Baylor Scheierman (G), JD Davison (G).
The Hornets should also stick with the same lineup, considering the success they have had in the Summer League thus far:
Leaky Black (F), Tidjane Salaun (F), Jake Stephens (C), Nick Smith Jr. (G), Zavier Simpson (G).
Boston Celtics vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction
Needless to say, the Celtics are the favorites for this one although the Charlotte Hornets are yet to lose in the preseason tournament. They have a 2-0 record in the Las Vegas Summer League but the Celtics have the bigger stars on offer. They also come into this game off the back of a big win against the Lakers, and are the favorites to get their second win of the campaign.