GAME-CHANGER: Jordan Walsh STIFLES LaMelo Ball as Celtics SEIZE Late Momentum In Win

Boston Celtics overpower Charlotte Hornets with a suffocating fourth-quarter surge—can this new defensive edge carry them through the playoffs? John Karalis of Celtics On SI breaks down the Celtics’ 113-102 victory at TD Garden, spotlighting Jordan Walsh’s lockdown defense on LaMelo Ball and Jaylen Brown’s explosive 35-point performance. The show examines the playoff-like intensity, key momentum swings, and how Joe Mazzulla’s rotation—especially the patience with Nikola Vucevic—could shape Boston’s postseason destiny. Derrick White’s hot shooting and Payton Pritchard’s clutch minutes add layers to a deepening Celtics bench. Strategic insights cover the importance of ball movement versus isolation, how Celtics exploited Hornets’ defensive weaknesses, and what the return of Vucevic means for the center rotation. Plus, analysis of Boston’s final playoff push, upcoming battles with the New York Knicks and New Orleans Pelicans, and why trusting in Mazzulla’s decisions might be the key to Banner 18.