CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After playing like the junior varsity team from the Island of Misfit Toys the previous week, the Celtics found the spirit that Brad Stevens said had waned.
Kelly Olynyk went for 20 points and Jae Crowder added 19 as the Bostonians packed a 102-89 victory over the Hornets onto their charter sleigh home last night.
Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley contributed 18 apiece, and the Celts defense held the hosts to 35.8 percent shooting in a second straight win after three consecutive losses.
“We for sure tried to bounce back from those losses, and I think we did a great job with these two wins in a row,” said Crowder, who went for a game-high 12 rebounds in his third double-double in a row.