Celtics pull away from the Hornets 114-93 to stay perfect in the preseason

The Boston Celtics treated Wednesday night like a dress rehearsal. The starters played big minutes and the result looked a lot like a regular-season win.

Jayson Tatum scored 19 points in 29 minutes as the Celtics beat the Charlotte Hornets 114-93 at TD Garden. Boston is 3-0 in the preseason.

Same five again

Boston started Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Tatum, Paul George and Mitchell Robinson for the second straight game. Robinson scored Boston's first six points on a putback and a lob from Tatum. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting.

White scored all nine points of a second-quarter run and had 13 points with four steals by halftime. Boston led 54-44 at the break after forcing 13 first-half turnovers while giving up only four.

Pritchard runs the show

Payton Pritchard handed out 11 assists without a turnover off the bench. Several of them went to Neemias Queta, who scored 16 points in 24 minutes and threw down a one-handed dunk after faking a handoff in the fourth quarter. George missed his first six shots before hitting a corner three.

Brandon Miller scored 12 of his 16 points in the third quarter to pull Charlotte within six. Tidjane Salaün also had 16. Luka Garza hit two threes in the fourth as Boston stretched the lead back out.

The Celtics close the preseason Friday night in Philadelphia against the 76ers.