Celtics at Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are fading out of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference while the Boston Celtics are trying to turn things around in time to earn homecourt advantage in the first round. The Celtics will try to take advantage of the Hornets and avoid a third straight loss when they visit Charlotte on Saturday.
Boston's hope of jumping into the No. 3 spot took a big hit with Wednesday's 118-115 loss at the third-place Philadelphia 76ers, during which it squandered a 15-point lead, but the team remains optimistic. "I think it's good for our group to be in these positions, these situations, and I think it will help us," Celtics center Al Horford told reporters. "The way that the crowd was tonight, on the road, tough, a lot of things probably not going your way, facing some adversity, and I felt like our group stuck together and we had a position there to win the game. They just made a couple more plays down there right at the end." The Hornets dropped 13 of their last 19 but are coming off a 113-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. "We executed," Charlotte coach James Borrego told reporters after the win. "It was a tight game the whole way, but I don't think we ever hung our heads. This group has stayed really positive through this stretch - and we know it's been a difficult stretch - but we've stayed together. They're still pulling for each other. We're still striving every single night to get wins and I'm happy for our guys tonight to pull this one out."
TV: 6 p.m. ET, NBCS Boston, FS Southeast (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (43-29): Boston enters play on Friday a half-game behind the Indiana Pacers in the battle for the No. 4 spot but is not prioritizing its position. "We're just trying to get to that playoff level right now," reserve point guard Terry Rozier told reporters. "Obviously, we got 10 games left and we don't want to look past these 10 games, but we're obviously getting prepared for the playoffs. Some guys may rest, but you know, we got to get in that mindset right now. Once the playoffs are here, it's like, there are no taking steps back. We've got to be ready from out the gate; fresh out the gate." Rozier (20 points) and fellow point guard Kyrie Irving (36 points, nine rebounds) both looked playoff-ready on Wednesday.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (32-39): Charlotte sits three games behind the eighth-place Miami Heat entering Friday's games and will play seven of its final 11 games on the road, including trips to Toronto, Golden State and Utah. The Hornets have been searching all season for a consistent secondary scoring option behind All-Star Kemba Walker and rookie Miles Bridges added his name to the list of possibilities with 11 points and 12 rebounds for his first career double-double while celebrating his 20th birthday on Thursday. "I think I need to celebrate my birthday every game," Bridges told reporters. "I was just trying to get the rebounds and stay aggressive. That's what got me going today."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Celtics C Aron Baynes left Wednesday's game after suffering a sprained ankle and is questionable for Saturday.
2. Hornets PF Marvin Williams went 3-of-4 from 3-point range on Thursday after going 2-of-15 from beyond the arc over his previous four contests.
3. The home teams took each of the first three meetings, with Charlotte edging Boston 117-112 on Nov. 19.