Observations from the Celtics-Hornets game: Hauser excels with three-pointers in Celtics’ victory.

Takeaways from the Celtics-Hornets matchup: Hauser shines with three-pointers in Celtics’ victory, as reported by NBC Sports Boston.

The Boston Celtics concluded their six-game road trip with a win against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.

The first half was fiercely contested between the two teams, despite their differing positions in the Eastern Conference standings. Although trailing in the first quarter, the Celtics tightened up defensively in the second period, seizing a six-point lead. They maintained control for the rest of the game, ultimately securing a convincing 118-104 victory.

In the absence of Jaylen Brown due to a hand injury, Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser led the scoring charge with 25 points each. Kristaps Porzingis contributed 20 points, while Derrick White added 19.

Miles Bridges topped the scoring for Charlotte with 26 points, while former Celtic Grant Williams contributed 23.

The Celtics (59-16) will head back home to face the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder (52-22) in what could be a preview of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. Before that, let’s delve into three key takeaways from Monday’s game.

Jayson Tatum’s outstanding performance in Charlotte persists.

The former Duke standout seems to elevate his game whenever he plays at the Spectrum Center, as evidenced by his last five outings there.

During these games, Tatum has scored 41, 44, 33, 51, and 45 points, respectively. His recent trend against the Hornets has seen him average 41.5 points per game in his last six encounters.

Right from the start of Monday’s game, Tatum demonstrated his intent to maintain this impressive streak. He amassed 16 of his 25 points in the first half, including three successful 3-pointers in the opening two quarters.

He capped off another commanding performance with an emphatic dunk in the third quarter.

Tatum completed a double-double, securing 10 rebounds alongside his 25 points, achieved on 9-of-19 shooting with a 4-of-10 performance from beyond the arc. Additionally, he contributed four assists, two steals, and a block.

While Tatum’s performance didn’t quite match the dominance he’s shown in previous games against Charlotte, the Hornets still struggled to contain the five-time All-Star. Moreover, Tatum’s workload decreased in the second half with support from Hauser and Porzingis on the offensive end.

Tatum will have another opportunity to showcase his skills against the Hornets in the penultimate game of the regular season on April 12.

Sam Hauser breaks out of shooting slump in style
Hauser had been experiencing a dip in his shooting form, converting only 6 of his last 19 attempts from beyond the arc over the past three games, including a 2-for-10 showing in the previous game against Atlanta. However, it’s evident that his shooting struggles are now behind him.

The Celtics’ sharpshooter knocked down his first two three-point attempts of the night, signaling a return to form. He then proceeded to catch fire in the second half, finishing the game with an impressive 7-of-11 performance from long range and a 9-of-13 overall shooting display.

Hauser equaled Tatum’s team-high of 25 points, achieving this feat in just 24 minutes of play.

Despite a brief spell of poor form, the 26-year-old has largely been exceptional for Boston throughout the season. Some of his standout performances occurred in the past month, including a night where he shot 6-for-10 from beyond the arc in Portland, a historic game where he made 10 of 13 attempts in Washington, and an impressive 8-for-9 showing in Chicago.

With his latest achievement, Hauser now has 10 games where he has made at least five three-pointers coming off the bench, matching Payton Prichard for the most in Celtics history.

Grant Williams enjoys success against his former team
Tatum and the Celtics squared off against their former teammate Grant Williams, who was traded to Charlotte by the Dallas Mavericks before this year’s NBA trade deadline.

Facing his former team, Williams delivered one of his standout performances of the season. The 25-year-old, previously nicknamed “Batman,” scored 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. This marked his highest scoring performance since February 22 when he scored 24 points against Utah.

Additionally, Williams contributed seven rebounds and two assists while serving as Charlotte’s starting center. Despite not securing a victory against his former teammates, he can take satisfaction in a solid all-around performance.