Charlotte Hornets against. Boston Celtics: Starting lineup predictions and injury report

Charlotte Hornets vs. Boston Celtics at Spectrum Center on October 19, 23 at 7:00 p.m. (ET)

With a decisive victory over the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics concluded their final home preseason game at full strength.

The Charlotte Hornets, their last preseason opponent, are 1-2 while the Celtics are 3-1.

What kind of lineups might we anticipate on Thursday night from both teams? Will the Celtics play at maximum capacity once more to keep up their form and momentum during the regular season?When the Celtics play the Hornets in their last preseason game, Joe Mazzulla might choose a similar team.
Tuesday night against the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics showed off their strength by using their starting five at full strength for the first time since their opening preseason matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Should we anticipate Mazzulla to start the same, or at least a comparable starting lineup, against the Hornets on Thursday night given the team’s performance as a well-oiled, cohesive unit?

The Celtics’ outstanding long-range shooting from beyond the arc was one of the main talking points of the Tuesday night game versus the Knicks. They attempted 52 3-pointers in total as a team, 23 of which were successful (44.2%).

Notable performers included Jayson Tatum, who made 5/8 of his 3-point tries (62.5%), and his teammates Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford, who each shot an incredible 50% from beyond the arc. Celtics supporters are going to be in for a treat if this kind of shooting form carries over into the regular season.

Despite Payton Pritchard’s incredible preseason play, I don’t believe he starts ahead of Derrick White or Thanksgiving.

The Boston Celtics gave a preview of what’s to come on Tuesday night in front of their home fans, showcasing their star power heading into the 2023–24 campaign. Tatum, Porzingis, and Jaylen Brown all showed off their impressive hooping skills while controlling the ball on both ends of the court.

17 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 40% from the field, and 42.9% from beyond the arc for Brown against the Knicks.

In the game against the Knicks, Tatum finished with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, with 62.5% of his points coming from outside the arc.

Porzingis’s stats against the Knicks were as follows: 20 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 50% from beyond the arc, and 61.5% from the field.

Each of the three should

“I believe that everyone is willing to accept whatever the circumstances may be, regardless of who initiates the situation. These folks don’t seem to give a damn; winning and doing the right thing are the only things that matter to us. Joe Mazzolla is someone we have to put our trust in for these kinds of things and rotations. We’re ready for everything, and it doesn’t really matter that much to us that on certain nights someone will need to sleep and the starting fives will look different.

Horford would have to be placed on the bench once more if a small-ball lineup with White and Holiday in the starting five was predicted. But what a valuable off-the-bench option he is. The talent is still there at 37 years old; it has matured like a good wine, so to speak. Horford proved why he is still an important member of this Celtics squad this season in the minutes he played against the Knicks, particularly if banner 18 is to be added to the TD Garden rafters.

As Porzingis said, the team doesn’t worry about starting lineups or bench spots because those decisions will probably fluctuate depending on the opposition. All they need to worry about is winning.