October 29, 2016 – Ben Simmons Shines in First Home Game as Hornets Defeat Celtics

Hornets 99, Celtics 90 (Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC)

For the first time since the blockbuster Kemba Walker trade, the Charlotte Hornets returned home to Spectrum Center, and the city was buzzing. Fans packed the arena, eager to see if Ben Simmons’ electric start to the season was real—or just a fluke.

By the final buzzer, no one had any doubts.

Simmons put on a masterclass in front of his new home crowd, leading the Hornets to a 99-90 victory over the Boston Celtics in a hard-fought battle.

Simmons Delivers Again

The rookie sensation didn’t slow down after dropping 40 in Milwaukee and 54 in Miami. Instead, he controlled the game from start to finish, proving once again that Charlotte’s decision to trade for him was the right move.

Hornets looking good against Boston.

Final stat line:

• 38 points (15-24 FG, 8-12 FT)

• 9 rebounds

• 12 assists

• 4 turnovers

Simmons dominated the Celtics in transition, pushing the pace whenever he could and setting up his teammates with laser-sharp passes. Boston’s Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart took turns guarding him, but neither had any success slowing him down.

When the Celtics double-teamed Simmons, he found open shooters. When they played him straight up, he bulldozed his way to the rim.

“This is what we envisioned when we made the trade,” head coach Steve Clifford said. “The guy just makes winning plays.”

Jeremy Lamb & Marvin Williams Step Up

With the Celtics loading up on Simmons, Jeremy Lamb and Marvin Williams provided crucial scoring support.

• Lamb finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds, playing aggressive on the boards and hitting timely mid-range shots.

• Williams was lights out from deep, scoring 15 points while going 3-of-4 from three.

Every time the Celtics made a push, Lamb or Williams knocked down a shot to keep them at bay.

Hibbert Struggles Again, But Contributes on the Glass

Roy Hibbert’s offensive struggles continued, but he did manage to contribute in one area—rebounding.

He finished with 7 boards, but once again missed multiple easy baskets and failed to make an impact in the post. It was becoming clearer by the game that Hibbert was not the long-term solution at center, and Charlotte’s front office was keeping a close eye on draft prospects like Bol Bol.

Still, the Hornets managed to win in spite of Hibbert’s issues, thanks to their young superstar running the show.

Isaiah Thomas’ 33-Point Effort Falls Short

Boston’s Isaiah Thomas did everything he could to keep the Celtics in the game, finishing with 33 points on 12-of-22 shooting.

He torched Charlotte’s guards off the dribble, hitting tough floaters and threes throughout the night. But without consistent scoring from the rest of the team, his efforts weren’t enough.

The Hornets’ defense tightened in the fourth quarter, forcing difficult shots and capitalizing on Boston’s lack of size inside.

The Aftermath

With the victory, Charlotte improved to 3-0, and the excitement surrounding Ben Simmons was reaching new heights.

The Hornets had taken down a legitimate Eastern Conference contender, and Simmons had once again been the best player on the floor.

The energy inside Spectrum Center was different—Hornets fans had seen the future, and they knew:

This was just the beginning.