First takeaways from Charlotte’s disappointing loss to Tatum, Pritchard and Celtics

The Charlotte Hornets lost again to the Boston Celtics, 113–103. After a disastrous first quarter that the Hornets slept through, Charlotte battled back from the 20th to cut Boston’s lead to two late in the third quarter but ultimately fell behind late. Here are some early takeaways from the Hornets’ loss.

Nick Richards and Mark Williams can’t come back soon enough. Without their top two center options, the Hornets will continue to struggle in the paint zone. Moussa Diabate, Grant Williams and Tidjane Salaoun play with the enormous effort and intensity that Charles Lee preaches, but heart and tenacity can’t always make up for a lack of size against championship-contending teams.

Charlotte’s next game is at Minnesota on Monday, and the interior trio of Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reed will be licking their chops. The size difference between Charlotte and Boston showed up on the glass tonight; This is best reflected in the free throw differential (26-9 in Boston’s favor). The Celtics didn’t get as favorable a whistle as they did on Friday night, but Boston’s relentless siege of the paint for four quarters led to plenty of free throw attempts against Charlotte’s depleted front line.

LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are the most talented duo in Charlotte Hornets history. Ball’s quick three-point shooting and Miller’s impressive return to the game kept Charlotte in the contest, but they still have some work to do in terms of their game management skills. Both Ball and Miller drew unnecessary fouls on both sides due to ill-timed mental errors that disrupted the team’s rhythm. For Charlotte to continue its ascent to premier status, as the top brass desire, their superstars must learn to play clean. As astounding as the duo’s offensive exploits have been, their costly mistakes are just as bad on the other side of the spectrum.

The supposed third banana in the Hornets offense is nowhere to be found. Like his colleagues in the front court, Bridges still plays with great energy and influences the game, but his offensive ability has faded. The veteran forward can’t separate from his defender with the ball in his hands, and his once gravity-defying athleticism has eluded him. It won’t be as bad for the rest of the season, but Bridges has failed to make an impact early in the 2024-25 season.

MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI

He’s back! Hornets guard Brandon Miller returns for Celtics game