CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Hornets 113-103 for the second consecutive evening at the Spectrum Center, with Jayson Tatum leading the charge with 29 points. Payton Pritchard contributed significantly with 22 points, hitting six three-pointers, while Derrick White supported the team with 18 points and eight rebounds. This victory allowed the Celtics to improve their record to 6-1, following their 124-109 win over the Hornets the previous night.

Charlotte’s star player, LaMelo Ball, delivered a standout performance, scoring 36 points on 15-of-26 shooting. However, he was unable to finish the game, fouling out for the second consecutive contest. Brandon Miller made his comeback from a strained glute, contributing 16 points.

Despite Tatum’s struggles from long range, where he connected on only 1 of 9 attempts, he compensated effectively by making 14 of 17 free throw attempts. Notably, there were no on-court incidents this time, following a previous game where Boston’s Grant Williams received a flagrant-two foul and was ejected for colliding with Tatum.

**Key Takeaways**
For the Celtics, the absence of Jaylen Brown, who missed the game due to a hip flexor strain, was not detrimental. Boston quickly established a strong 19-point lead in the second quarter, thanks to increased scoring from White and dynamic plays from Jrue Holiday. On the Hornets’ side, it is crucial for LaMelo Ball to manage his fouls better. After quickly accumulating two fouls early in the game, he found himself on the bench while the Celtics surged to a 21-9 first quarter advantage. His presence is essential for Charlotte’s success.

**Key Moment**
When the Hornets displayed a vigorous start to the third quarter, it was Jrue Holiday who broke their momentum with a timely three-pointer, allowing Boston to swiftly restore their double-digit lead.

**Key Stat**
The Celtics excelled on the boards, out-rebounding the Hornets 44-34, particularly significant considering Charlotte played without their top two centers, Mark Williams and Nick Richards.

**Upcoming Matches**
Looking ahead, the Celtics will travel down Interstate-85 to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, while the Hornets will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the same evening.