The Hornets came into the TD Garden to face the Boston Celtics with more questions than answers. The injury list could start a line-up of its own with LaMelo Ball, Malik Monk, and the new addition Gordon Hayward all in different phases of rehab. Hayward’s injury, just announced the day before the Celtics game, put the Hornets in a talent deficit that would be hard to overcome even for the deepest of teams. The cavalry didn’t arrive as the Hornets lost by a whopping 30 points 86-116.
That talent deficit was apparent from the jump as Boston stretched the lead to double digits and it hovered there for the entire first half.