Boston Celtics Beat Charlotte Hornets 119-80 in NBA Cup — Nov. 6, 2026 Final

Information verified: Friday, November 6, 2026, at 9:52 p.m. in Charlotte, Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−05:00); Saturday, November 7, at 02:52 UTC. This is the source-check time, not the original tipoff or publication time.

FINAL — Boston Celtics 119, Charlotte Hornets 80. Boston overwhelmed Charlotte on Friday, November 6, at Spectrum Center in the Emirates NBA Cup, turning a fast start into a 39-point road victory. Jayson Tatum scored 34 points with nine assists and eight rebounds, and Boston improved to 2-0 in East Group C. Both the Hornets' official final game page and NBC Boston's final recap confirm the result.

The victory gives the Celtics a 7-2 regular-season record and a second group-play win. Charlotte falls to 3-7 overall and 0-2 in NBA Cup play. The decisive result, rather than the pregame injury watch, is the central development: Boston hit 24 of 44 three-point attempts, while Charlotte was unable to recover from a 20-point first-quarter deficit.

Destaques

• Final score: Celtics 119, Hornets 80 on November 6, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Top performer: Jayson Tatum had 34 points, nine assists and eight rebounds; Derrick White added 18 points.
• Defining statistic: Boston made 24 three-pointers on 44 attempts (54.5%) and led 70-39 at halftime.
• NBA Cup impact: Boston improves to 2-0 in East Group C; Charlotte drops to 0-2, with two group games still to play for each club.

What was the final score of Celtics vs. Hornets on November 6?

The NBA game center lists the Boston-at-Charlotte matchup, and the official Hornets game page marks it final, 119-80. The game took place at Spectrum Center on Friday, November 6, 2026. Scheduled tipoff was 7:00 p.m. in Charlotte, EST (UTC−05:00), equivalent to 00:00 UTC on Saturday, November 7. Daylight saving time had already ended in North Carolina on November 1, so EST—not EDT—applies to this event.

How did Boston build its 39-point lead in Charlotte?

Boston took control immediately, finishing the opening quarter ahead 40-20. Tatum had 18 points in that period, while Derrick White supplied 10. The Celtics' perimeter shooting was central to the surge: NBC Boston's live game coverage tracked nine made three-pointers in the first quarter, compared with two for Charlotte.

The lead grew to 70-39 at halftime. Boston had already converted 17 three-point shots before the break, an exceptionally productive shooting half that left Charlotte needing a sustained comeback. Instead, the Celtics continued to extend their margin, leading 96-57 after three quarters before the teams each scored 23 points in the fourth. Tatum did not play in the final period, according to NBC Boston's recap, with the game already well out of reach.

Those scoring checkpoints show that the result was not decided by a single late run. Boston established separation early, protected it through the middle quarters and finished without needing an extended final-quarter push from its leading scorer. For Charlotte, the immediate challenge was the combination of an early deficit and a Boston team that kept making outside shots.

Who led the Celtics and Hornets in scoring?

According to the official box score, Tatum made nine of 16 field-goal attempts and five of eight shots from beyond the arc. His 34 points, nine assists and eight rebounds made him the standout performer. Derrick White finished with 18 points and five assists, while Payton Pritchard contributed 12 points and five assists off the bench. Pritchard had been questionable before the game with a right-eye abrasion but was cleared to play, and the box score confirms he logged 23 minutes.

Naz Reid led Charlotte with 14 points. Sion James added 11, while Brandon Miller scored eight in 13 minutes and 46 seconds. These are confirmed game statistics; the box score alone does not establish the medical reason for any player's limited minutes.

Boston's team shooting is especially telling. The Celtics made 24 of 44 three-pointers (54.5%) and recorded 33 assists. Seventeen of those makes came before halftime. The success from long range helped turn an early lead into a comfortable final margin. It is a demonstrated feature of this game, not evidence that Boston will necessarily sustain the same percentage in future contests.

Which players were unavailable for Charlotte against Boston?

The pregame injury watch remains relevant as context, but it no longer describes an upcoming game. Charlotte went into the matchup without Dennis Schröder (left thigh soreness), Moussa Diabaté (right quadriceps issue), Kon Knueppel (left hamstring strain) and Grant Williams (right hamstring strain), according to the game-day availability reporting summarized by NBC Boston. The NBA game page also identifies several of those players among Charlotte's inactive players.

For Boston, Pritchard's clearance mattered because he ultimately scored 12 points and made four three-pointers. Jayson Tatum, who had rested during Boston's preceding win over Milwaukee, returned and led the scoring. The absences on Charlotte's side reduced available rotation options, but the verified record does not justify attributing the entire 39-point defeat to any one injury. Boston's exceptional outside shooting is directly documented and offers a clearer account of how the lead widened.

What does the Celtics' win mean for NBA Cup East Group C?

Boston opened Group Play with a 125-111 victory over Chicago on October 30, then defeated Charlotte by 39 points. Across those two Cup games, the Celtics therefore have a 2-0 record and a plus-53 point differential. Charlotte lost its opener 95-79 to Washington before this 119-80 defeat, leaving it 0-2 with a minus-55 differential. These figures are calculated from the two confirmed group-game results, not presented as a complete live ranking of every East Group C team.

East Group C also includes the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. Under the NBA's official competition rules, every team plays four group games. The group winner and the relevant conference wild-card qualifier advance to the knockout stage; tiebreakers include head-to-head results and point differential. Boston's sizable win strengthens its position if a tie develops, but it does not clinch qualification. Conversely, Charlotte's 0-2 start makes its path more difficult without, by itself, proving mathematical elimination.

What's next for the Celtics and Hornets after the NBA Cup game?

Boston's next regular-season opponent is Milwaukee on Sunday, November 8, according to NBC Boston's postgame coverage. In its remaining East Group C games, Boston is scheduled to visit Washington on November 24 and host Atlanta on November 27. Charlotte is scheduled to visit Atlanta on November 20 and host Chicago on November 25. As always, dates and later tipoff details should be confirmed against the NBA schedule if changed.

The Celtics can now shift from securing a second Cup victory to preserving their advantage through the remaining group schedule. Charlotte needs improved results in both of its remaining games and favorable outcomes elsewhere to revive its qualification hopes. Those are conditional tournament implications, not assurances about who will advance. The NBA's official NBA Cup standings remain the appropriate reference as other games are completed.

Frequently asked questions

Did the Celtics beat the Hornets in the 2026 NBA Cup?

Yes. Boston defeated Charlotte 119-80 on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

How many points did Jayson Tatum score against Charlotte?

Tatum scored 34 points, with nine assists and eight rebounds. He made five three-pointers and did not play in the fourth quarter.

Have the Celtics already qualified for the NBA Cup knockout rounds?

No automatic qualification is confirmed from this result alone. Boston is 2-0 in East Group C with two group games remaining, and advancement depends on the final group standings and the NBA's tiebreaker rules.

Sources verified: Official Charlotte Hornets game result and box score; NBC Boston final-game report; NBA Cup rules and group composition; Official Celtics event listing.