The Charlotte Hornets’ NBA season continues to spiral downward, suffering a 80-119 defeat to the Boston Celtics that extends their winless streak in the NBA Cup. According to reports, the loss also pushed the team’s overall losing streak to six consecutive games as they remain winless in the NBA Cup, which also counts toward the regular season standings.
Dennis Schröder was absent for the Hornets, missing the game due to a thigh injury.
Celtics Dominate from the Opening Tip
The Boston Celtics established control early, as shown by their performance in the first quarter. Led by Jayson Tatum, who finished with 34 points, Boston made nine three-pointers in the opening period alone.
The rout was so complete that Boston’s reserves did not enter the game until the final quarter, by which time the Hornets’ deficit had ballooned to over 50 points. The final score of 80-119 reflected the Celtics’ victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
German Rookies Provide Glimmers of Hope
Despite the lopsided defeat, two of Charlotte’s German rookies offered moments of encouragement. Rookie center Hannes Steinbach, whose parents traveled from Würzburg to watch the game, led the Hornets with 11 rebounds. He made an immediate impact with a dunk on his first touch and later contributed a block, providing rare highlights for the home crowd.
Christian Anderson, also a German prospect, added five assists to lead the team in that category. Both Steinbach and Anderson finished with four points each.
Elsewhere in the NBA: Rare LeBron James Performance and Thunder’s Debut
In other action, the Orlando Magic lost 99-129 to the Toronto Raptors. Tristan Da Silva scored 20 points to lead Orlando, while Franz Wagner added 15. The Oklahoma City Thunder also suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 96-120 to the Dallas Mavericks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points, and Hartenstein had 10 points and 14 rebounds in the loss.
What’s Next for the Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets’ immediate focus will be on ending their six-game losing streak. Their next game, a matchup against the Detroit Pistons, presents a challenging opportunity as the Pistons have won four of their first five games this season. Dennis Schröder’s status for that game will be a key storyline to watch as he continues to recover from his thigh injury.
