Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics Prediction & Match Preview - February 2nd, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
Heading into the third matchup of their four-game season series, the Boston Celtics will host the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden on Wednesday.
The Charlotte Hornets head into this game on the back of a 90-115 blowout loss to the LA Clippers. Snapping a two-game winning streak in the process, the Hornets found themselves falling to 28-23 on the season.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics have enjoyed consecutive wins following their recent 122-92 outing against the Miami Heat. With a largely healthy roster, the Celtics are climbing up the Eastern Conference ladder as they register a 27-25 record at this stage of the season.
The Hornets vs Celtics series is level at one game apiece. With Charlotte emerging as winners in their previous outing, Boston will look to get one back to take a 2-1 lead.
Match Details
Fixture - Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022; 7:30 PM ET (Thursday, February 3rd, 2022; 6:00 AM IST)
Venue - TD Garden, Boston, MA
Charlotte Hornets Preview
The Charlotte Hornets have seen a drop-off in activity following their winning streak at the start of January. Although their overall record sees them in the seventh seed in the East, the Hornets have gone 2-3 in their last five games.
After a huge win against the Indiana Pacers last week, the Hornets managed to follow it up with another win against a shorthanded Lakers team. However, their follow-up performance against the Clippers was less than impressive.
Shooting 23.5% from beyond the arc and being outrebounded 58-46, the Hornets suffered a huge loss to the LA Clippers.
LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 23 points and 10 assists. Miles Bridges followed with 18 points of his own. However, the entire bench rotation contributed a total of 21 points, which is underwhelming to say the least.
Key Player - Terry Rozier
A key player for the Charlotte Hornets in their upcoming fixture will be Terry Rozier. Rozier has been one of the most consistent scorers in the Hornets lineup. Featuring an arsenal of moves combined with some sneaky athleticism, Rozier has been a major contributor for Charlotte on the offensive front.
The 27-year old records a season average of 18.2 points and 4.0 assists per game. However, his last outing against Boston saw him register an impressive stat line of 28 points and 10 assists on 55.6% shooting from the field. This could be a major factor for Charlotte in this game.
Coming off a soft performance of 10 points in the loss against the LA Clippers, Terry Rozier will have to turn things around for himself in their upcoming game.
Although Rozier has seen a slight drop-off in performance in the last five games, the Hornets will need him to increase his output to support Ball and Bridges.
Charlotte Hornets Predicted Lineup
G - LaMelo Ball | G - Terry Rozier | F - Cody Martin | F - Miles Bridges | C - Mason Plumlee
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Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics have managed to turn things around as they enjoy going above .500 on the season. With a win-streak developing on the back of their latest win, the Celtics have also enjoyed a 4-1 record in their last five games.
A large part of Boston's success lies in their roster strength. With all of their main rotation in healthy condition, the Boston Celtics have managed to make the most of the talent at their disposal.
Coming off a blowout win against the Miami Heat, Boston saw solid performances across the board. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 49-points for the game. The Celtics also saw Al Horford and Marcus Smart record double-digit scoring.
Although their three-point shooting was ordinary, Boston saw a solid defensive effort as they recorded nine steals and six blocks, while forcing 18 Miami turnovers for the game.
Key Player - Robert Williams III
A key player for the Boston Celtics in their upcoming game will be Robert Williams III. Since joining the starting rotation as a starter, Williams has offered a genuine inside presence to the Celtics on both ends of the floor.
Williams is coming off a rather underwhelming outing against the Miami Heat. Recording six points and seven rebounds for the game, the Celtics big man showed some upside on the defensive end as he notched two blocks.
Primarily functioning as a rebounder and rim-protector, the 24-year old will play a major role in winning the rebounding battle against the undersized Hornets team.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
G - Marcus Smart | G - Jaylen Brown | G - Jayson Tatum | F - Al Horford | C - Robert Williams III
Hornets vs Celtics Match Predictions
The Charlotte Hornets vs. Boston Celtics matchup does present itself as an enticing one to watch. However, the game could be more one sided than it seems.
The Hornets will be missing a number of key players from their rotation for this matchup. Meanwhile, the Celtics will be at full strength. Additionally, Charlotte's away record of 14-15 puts them in a significantly worse position when considering Boston's home record of 17-10.
The Hornets' offensive power, while prodigal, is capable of overwhelming teams in a hurry. Should they find their rhythm for the game, the tide could shift in their favor. But this game does pose an uphill battle for Charlotte.
Where to watch Hornets vs Celtics game?
The Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics game will be locally broadcast on NBC Sports Boston. The game will also be available on the NBAโs League Pass platform. Fans can listen to the game by tuning into 98.3 The Sports Hub.
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