Kemba Walker Scores 14 Points in Return to Charlotte as Celtics Rout Hornets

The Boston Celtics won their sixth straight game thanks to a 108-87 road victory over the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on Thursday.

Celtics forward Gordon Hayward's hot streak continued: After scoring 39 points on 17-of-20 shooting against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, the 10th-year pro dropped 20 points on a 9-of-16 clip against Charlotte.

Hayward added 10 rebounds and six assists, and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 23 points.

Elsewhere, Celtics point guard Kemba Walker faced the Hornets for the first time since signing a four-year max deal with Boston last offseason. Walker, who the Hornets took ninth overall in the 2011 draft, played the first eight years of his career in Charlotte.

Meanwhile, Terry Rozier took on the Celtics for the first time since signing a three-year deal with Charlotte this offseason. The ex-Louisville star spent his first four NBA seasons in Celtic green.

Walker and Rozier both struggled. Walker scored just 14 points on 4-of-12 from the field, and Rozier missed all but one of his field goals for three points. The two combined to go 0-of-12 in the first half.

The C's and Los Angeles Lakers each have the league's best win-loss record at 6-1. Boston is alone atop the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Notable Performances

Celtics F Gordon Hayward: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists

Celtics F Jayson Tatum: 23 points, 9 rebounds

Celtics G Kemba Walker: 14 points, 6 assists

Hornets F Miles Bridges: 18 points, 10 rebounds

Hornets G Devonte' Graham: 15 points, 9 assists

Hornets C Cody Zeller: 5 points, 10 rebounds

Hayward Keeps Boston First in East

Few players in the NBA are hotter than Hayward right now.

The ex-Butler Bulldog delivered once again Thursday, scoring 16 first-half points while helping the C's to a 52-43 halftime lead. Boston never looked back, coasting for its sixth straight win.

ESPN Stats & Info posted this bewildering shot chart combining Hayward's two recent halves against the Cavs and the first half from Thursday:

And this is what he did over one 44-minute stretch, per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe:

Hayward has been sensational, to the point that he deserves to be considered the NBA's unofficial Comeback Player of the Year after suffering a broken leg that sidelined him for all but five minutes of the 2017-18 season.

But Hayward's play has the Celtics dreaming of the possibilities they had last season when a team headlined by Kyrie Irving, Al Horford and Hayward was supposed to lead Boston back to the NBA Finals. That never happened, and Irving and Horford are now in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, respectively. But a new Big Three featuring Walker, Tatum and Hayward looks like the team to beat in the East so far.

Simply put, Hayward looks even better than he did before the injury. Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer put it best:

Perhaps Hayward does opt out of his contract and become a free agent this offseason. But for now, he has the Celtics positioned to contend for the NBA title.

Walker, Rozier Struggle in Reunions vs. Old Teams

Walker made his return to Charlotte following eight years in a Hornets uniform, and the Spectrum Center crowd showered him with cheers upon his return, in addition to Charlotte posting an excellent tribute:

Walker didn't exactly light it up as he struggled from the field, but it didn't matter much as he posted a plus-20 and dished out six assists, as well. He'll probably take the 21-point road win over any individual accomplishments.

Ultimately, the Celtics' four-year, $141 million max deal to sign him looks like a good investment after the ex-UConn guard posted 26.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game over his first six appearances in Boston.

As for Rozier, the former Celtic has seen better days. He accrued more turnovers (four) than points (three) and tallied just two assists in 26 minutes.

He's been far better than that this season, of course, stuffing the stat sheet with 16.9 points, 5.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game prior to Thursday's outing for a 4-4 Hornets team that was expected to finish in the East basement after losing Walker. Rozier was also second on the team in points and assists per game before Thursday.

The Hornets had won three straight leading into the C's game, in part because Rozier averaged 21.3 points, 5.7 assists and 5.0 boards during that streak.

Thursday may not have gone his way, and the same is true for the player he replaced. But the Celtics and Hornets both have hope for the future with their new additions.

What's Next?

The Hornets will finish a three-game homestand against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The C's will end a three-game road trip versus the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday at 5 p.m.