NBA Notes: Celtics, Jayson Tatum, Sixers, Tyrese Maxey, Hornets

Celtics

The Celtics didn’t ease into the postseason. They took control and never gave it back.

Boston rolled past the 76ers, 123-91, in Game 1, leading wire to wire and showing the kind of depth and balance that makes them dangerous this time of year.

Jayson Tatum looked comfortable in his return to the playoff stage, finishing with 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. He poured in 21 in the first half, helping Boston seize early control.

Jaylen Brown added 26 points. Neemias Queta chipped in 13. The Celtics knocked down 16 three-pointers and had the luxury of going 12 deep. Boston never trailed.

The tone was set early, with Tatum scoring 10 in the first quarter, highlighted by a two-handed dunk that pushed the lead to 33-18. Philadelphia never got closer.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston.

76ers

The 76ers were fighting uphill from the start and never found footing.

Playing without Joel Embiid, who continues to recover from an appendectomy, Philadelphia struggled to keep pace on both ends.

Tyrese Maxey finished with 21 points and eight assists, but much of his work came under pressure. Boston’s defense contested nearly everything early and never let him settle into rhythm.

Paul George added 17 points. It wasn’t enough.

The Sixers shot just 4-of-23 from three. The interior defense faltered as well, with early foul trouble forcing adjustments that never quite worked. A 64-46 halftime deficit told the story.

Philadelphia will need more shot-making, more composure, and likely Embiid to change the feel of this series. Game 2 offers another shot.

Hornets

The Hornets didn’t reach the playoffs, but they still took a step.

Charlotte improved from 19 to 44 wins and played some of the league’s best basketball over the second half of the season. The postseason drought, however, now sits at 10 straight years.

Coach Charles Lee made it clear the recent loss has to stick.

“You’re one step away from being in the playoffs, so I don’t want to discredit that,” Lee said, via Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “But this has got to hurt a little bit.”

Lee pointed to growth, resilience and competitiveness as positives, while also emphasizing the need for more.

“What am I going to do to go that extra mile to get even better,” he said. “We had a ton of growth this year.”

The message moving forward is simple.

“Let this fuel you,” Lee said. “Don’t take for granted the fact that you guys earned a ton of respect.”

Charlotte views this season as a stepping stone. The next step will matter more.