The Boston Celtics kicked off their four-game road trip on a high note, decimating the Charlotte Hornets 119-80 on Friday night. With this win, Boston is now 7-2 on the season, and it is in sole possession of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference behind the Philadelphia 76ers.
This game never really got close. The Celtics got off to a 9-2 lead roughly three minutes into the game and never looked back. They were up 40-20 after the first quarter, 70-39 at halftime, and 96-57 after the third quarter.
It was a great way to get the weekend started for Celtics fans, as this game went just about as well as it possibly could have, and it further cemented the team's standing as one of the top teams in the conference.
These are some of the biggest takeaways from Boston's lopsided victory in Charlotte.
1. Derrick White's shot might be back
There's been a lot of talk of Derrick White's regression as a three-point shooter. He shot 32.7% from deep last season (second-worst of his career), and he was shooting just 29.3% from deep this season entering Friday's game.
However, it looks like White may have found his groove behind the line again. He went 4-for-6 from deep (6-for-10 overall) and scored 18 points.
It's just one game, but Celtics fans should be pleased with White's performance from beyond the arc.
2. Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston
Not that it's much of a surprise, but Jayson Tatum was sensational for the Celtics in this one. He scored a game-high 34 points (nobody else from either team scored 20 or more) while shooting 9-for-16 from the field and 5-for-8 from deep. He also did a fantastic job of getting to the line, hitting all 11 of his free throws.
Tatum also recorded eight rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and a block (and four turnovers) in 29 minutes.
It was another classic well-rounded performance from the Duke alum.
3. Paul George had a quiet game, but it didn't matter
Paul George has been fantastic with the Celtics so far, but he wasn't at his best on Friday (at least offensively; he still made a defensive impact, recording two blocks and a steal and diving for some loose balls).
In the win, George scored eight points on 3-for-11 shooting (2-for-5 from deep). He also recorded five rebounds, one assist, and three turnovers in 22 minutes.
It wasn't a great showing by the 36-year-old, but it made little difference as the Celtics still dominated Charlotte. Regardless, Boston better hope George doesn't have another game like this moving forward.
4. Mitchell Robinson still looks good
It was a slow start for Mitchell Robinson in Boston, but he had his best game with the team on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, and he looked good once again against the Hornets.
He came off the bench once again and played 15 minutes, but he still made an impact on both sides of the ball, recording six points on 3-for-5 shooting, seven rebounds (three offensive), and one block. Robinson looked comfortable, brought more energy, and is starting to find his rhythm with the Celtics (he even caught a couple of lobs finally; that's how you know he's turning things around)
5. Payton Pritchard had a bit of a bounceback performance
Payton Pritchard has been completely up-and-down this season and was in a bit of a slump heading into Friday's game. He was also questionable against Charlotte due to an eye abrasion. However, he made an impact against the Hornets, and it went beyond his scoring.
In the win, he recorded 12 points on 4-for-10 shooting (4-for-6 from deep), six rebounds, five assists, and a steal in 23 minutes.
Pritchard made his presence felt in every area of the game, and it was a welcome sight for Celtics fans. Hopefully for him and the team, he can continue to build on this momentum.
6. Hugo Gonzalez was relegated to garbage time minutes
Hugo Gonzalez, who had started Boston's last three games before Friday night, only logged three minutes entering the fourth quarter. He ended up putting up some numbers (8 points on 2-for-5 shooting and one rebound in roughly 15 minutes), but he didn't make any type of impact on the game. The Celtics could have played nobody on the court by the time he played real minutes, and they still would've won.
7. Mike Conley played almost 11 minutes
No, seriously. That's how out of hand this game got. (Mike Conley missed his only shot attempt and dished out one assist.)
8. The Celtics took care of business
Boston was supposed to win this game, and that's exactly what it did. The Hornets were on a five-game skid, and their offense is a mess. Kon Knueppel is on the shelf. And Brandon Miller exited the game early due to right groin soreness.
The Celtics, meanwhile, are looking like a real force early in the season, and they built on that by doing what they needed to do against Charlotte.
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