What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Hornets: Jayson Tatum Takes Over the Fourth Quarter to help Boston Earn 15th Victory in 17 Games

Jayson Tatum scored 44 points, tied a franchise record, and the Celtics' defense held one of the NBA's top-scoring teams in transition to 11 fast-break points en route to a 115-101 win.

Led by a 44-point performance from Jayson Tatum, the Celtics earned their 15th win in 17 games with a 115-101 victory over the Hornets Wednesday.

The win raises Boston's record to 40-27 with 15 games left in the season. Since the Bulls also won on Wednesday, the Celtics remain half a game out of fourth in the East. They're 1.5 behind the third-seeded Sixers and two back of the second-place Bucks.

Now, for an exploration into what stood out from a game where Boston held one of the most dangerous transition teams in the NBA to 11 fast-break points, doing so in front of a crowd that made this game feel like it was happening at TD Garden

Jayson Tatum Ties a Franchise Record

With 2:45 left in the third quarter and the Celtics up by five, Jayson Tatum re-entered the game and ripped off eight points to close out the period, helping Boston take a nine-point lead into the fourth.

That run, which featured five points at the free-throw line, got the three-time All-Star into a rhythm he used to take over the game in the fourth quarter. After scoring 16 points in the first half, Tatum matched that number in the final frame. He went 6/7 from the field, 4/4 from beyond the arc, and he made it look easy.

Tatum's also playing an efficient brand of basketball, pairing his long-range shooting with aggressive drives to the rim and a willingness to go through defenders' chests. On Wednesday, he generated a game-high 16 points in the paint, scored seven on second-chance opportunities, and led Boston with six free throws, converting on each of them.

Tatum finished with 44 points on 16/24 shooting, including going 6/9 from long range. He also went 6/6 at the free-throw line, grabbed five rebounds, dished out three assists, and swiped three steals.

Between this and his 54-point masterpiece against the Nets, Tatum's 98 points in the last two games tie Kevin McHale's franchise record for the most in a two-game span.

Jaylen Brown Makes His Presence Felt in the Third Quarter

Overall, it was a quiet night for Jaylen Brown, including going scoreless in the second quarter and only taking one shot despite playing nearly the entire frame. But in the third, Brown made his presence felt with two strong drives to the rim and cashing in on a three to score seven of his 15 points, doing so on 3/6 shooting.

Brown also registered five assists and five rebounds, though he did have a team-high four turnovers.

Isaiah Thomas Helps Hornets Go On Second-Quarter Run

The second quarter was a low-scoring affair that started with a 9-1 Celtics run. But after that, Isaiah Thomas found Kelly Oubre for a three, drained a mid-range jumper he created for himself off the dribble, and he tacked on a point on a technical after Boston (Al Horford) got whistled for defensive three seconds to help Charlotte counter the Celtics' run with a 9-0 response.

Marcus Smart

Finally empowered to play point guard, his natural position, Marcus Smart is responding with the best season of his career. For the second consecutive game, he dished out a game-high nine assists. That included throwing a pair of alley-oops, creating for his teammates off the drive, and delivering a behind-the-back bounce pass to Robert Williams for two points at the rim.

While that's more worthy of a highlight reel, the ball movement throughout the play below, capped by Smart driving out of the right corner and softly putting the ball in Grant Williams' shooting pocket for a three from the left-wing, is a play this author appreciates even more.

Smart's nine assists led the way for a Celtics team that shot 49.5 percent from the field and assisted on 30 of their 46 made field goals. Though they only went 12/37 (32.4 percent) from beyond the arc, Smart was at the forefront of them consistently generating good shots against a Hornets team that mostly turned to a zone defense in an attempt to junk up Boston's offense.

Smart also had only one turnover, and he chipped in 12 points on six of 12 shooting.

Celtics Blow By Hornets in the Fourth Quarter

Boston opened the final frame on an 11-0 run, going from up nine to leading by 20. Including the end of the third quarter, the Celtics ripped off a 14-0 run in 2:07 of game time.

As Tatum kept pouring in points and the Hornets struggled to score against the NBA's top-ranked defense, the Celtics did what they're supposed to, taking care of business against a Charlotte team that had heavy legs playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Up Next

The Celtics host the Pistons on Friday night. The game tips off at 7:30 ET. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

'When I came here many years ago, he was one of the many big reasons why I came to Boston...I'm just happy to get to watch him get another opportunity': Al Horford Discusses Facing Former Teammate Isaiah Thomas

What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Nets: Jayson Tatum's 54 Points Help Boston Pass Its Latest Test

Celtics Sign Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to Second 10-Day Contracts

Profile on Celtics' Latest Signing, Nik Stauskas

Profile on Celtics' Newest Signing, Matt Ryan

The Trials, Tribulations, and Growth of Ime Udoka in His First Year as Celtics' Head Coach