BOSTON (AP) — Payton Pritchard scored 22 points, Sam Hauser had 20 and the Boston Celtics beat the Charlotte Hornets 130-94 on Friday night for their 60th victory of the season.
The teams will meet again in Boston on Sunday.
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Charlotte Hornets guard KJ Simpson, center, drives to the basket against the Boston Celtics during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee yells to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against Boston Celtics, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Okogie (12) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic, center, gets trapped by Boston Celtics' Jrue Holiday (4) and Payton Pritchard (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla calls to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, left, drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets guard Wendell Moore Jr. (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) drives to the basket between Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and center Kristaps Porzingis (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) battles for a rebound against Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) drives to the basket past Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and center Kristaps Porzingis (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, left, tries to steal the ball from Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) tries to steal the ball from Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Derrick White added 19 points, Jayson Tatum had 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Al Horford had 13 points with 11 rebounds for the Celtics (60-21). Boston coach Joe Mazzulla rested his starters in the final quarter.
Celtics star Jaylen Brown was out with a sore right knee that’s hampered him the past month, making him ineligible for postseason awards because he didn’t reach the league’s threshold for games played.
Seth Curry led the Hornets with 17 points and hit his 82nd 3-pointer, which qualifies him for the NBA’s percentage lead. He went 5 of 7 on 3s and is at 45.6%.
Sacramento’s Zach LaVine entered the night, leading at 44.6%.
Boston, which set the league record for 3s in a season this month, hit seven in the third, pushing a one-point halftime edge to 91-75 entering the fourth.
The Celtics were coming off a 20-point loss in Orlando Wednesday when they sat their top six players.
Hornets: Sat LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Miles Bridges (hip). They near the end of a dismal season (19-62) and haven’t made the postseason since 2016.
Celtics: Brown’s sore knee could become a factor as the Celtics try to repeat as NBA champs. The reigning Finals MVP is a key defender against opponents’ top scorers.
Tatum hit a 3 from the top and was fouled 3:17 into the third, making the free throw to complete a four-point play.
Boston reached 60 wins for the 15th time in franchise history and the first in back-to-back seasons since 2007-08 and 2008-09.
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Charlotte Hornets guard KJ Simpson, center, drives to the basket against the Boston Celtics during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee yells to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against Boston Celtics, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Okogie (12) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic, center, gets trapped by Boston Celtics' Jrue Holiday (4) and Payton Pritchard (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla calls to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, left, drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets guard Wendell Moore Jr. (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) drives to the basket between Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and center Kristaps Porzingis (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) battles for a rebound against Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) drives to the basket past Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and center Kristaps Porzingis (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, left, tries to steal the ball from Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) tries to steal the ball from Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
