Last updated: T-2h (early run entry updated with latest findings)
Boston: ZERO players listed on injury report. This is confirmed across multiple sources as of game day — only the third time all season Mazzulla has had a fully healthy roster entering a game (SI.com, Apr 7; Fox Sports iHeart, Apr 7; 98.5 The Sports Hub, Apr 6).
Tatum Achilles sit-out risk — NOT tonight: SI.com noted Tatum is "almost certainly going to sit out with Achilles injury management" — but this projection explicitly references Friday's back-to-back vs. New Orleans Pelicans, not tonight's game. Tatum played Sunday vs. Toronto (23 pts, 13 reb, 7 ast) and is active tonight (SI.com, Apr 7). Flag for Friday's game, not today's.
Nikola Vucevic / Neemias Queta role confirmed: Queta remains the starting center. Vucevic will come off the bench for limited minutes in his second game back from a broken finger (missed since Mar 6). Goal is to acclimate Vucevic into the rotation ahead of the playoffs — no lineup surprises expected (CelticsBlog, Apr 7; Heavy.com).
Celtics played Sunday Apr 5 (home vs. TOR). Two days of rest. Home game at TD Garden — no travel. Favorable prep situation, unchanged from early run.
T-12h Lines (early run, ~10 hours ago):
T-2h Lines (current, as of ~2 hours before tip):
Line Movement Summary: DraftKings' spread dropped from -6.5 (opening/T-12h) to -4.5 (T-2h) — a full 2-point move toward Charlotte. This is a meaningful shift suggesting significant Hornets-side money or sharp action on Charlotte. The BetMGM number (-4.5 early) appears to have been the sharper early price; books are now converging at -4.5 to -5.5. The moneyline has held relatively stable (~-214 Boston). Total has ticked slightly up from 219.5 to 220.5 on some books.
The early run entry cited Boston as 6-1 ATS last 7 games. Multiple current sources give conflicting readings: Fox Sports Charlotte says Celtics are on a 2-6 ATS skid (Fox Sports Charlotte, Apr 7); StatMuse shows 7-3 ATS last 10; ATSstats.com shows 5-2 last 7. These figures likely reflect different lookback windows or inclusion of pushes. The analyst should treat the ATS trend as mixed/uncertain rather than a clean lean. Charlotte's 9-2 ATS in last 11 is consistently cited across all sources and is the stronger data point here.
Boston advantages:
Charlotte threats:
Boston (30th in pace, 95.49) vs. Charlotte (26th, 97.76) — expect a half-court grind. UNDER has hit in 13 of Boston's last 19 games and 6 of Charlotte's last 9 (capperspicks). Total has gone OVER just once in last 7 meetings in this series (Fox Sports Charlotte). Strong UNDER lean supported by both team trends and H2H history. Total now at 220.5 (up ~1 point from T-12h on DraftKings).
The 2-point drop in DraftKings' spread (from -6.5 to -4.5) is the most significant market development since the early run. Whether driven by sharp Charlotte money or public Hornets backing, the market is pricing this as a much closer game than originally listed. Combined with Charlotte's 9-2 ATS run and the Celtics' murky ATS trend data, the spread number deserves careful attention. BetMGM currently unavailable for direct comparison to verify if -4.5 has held or also moved.
ESPN's live injury feed briefly showed Coby White downgraded to Questionable for tonight, but this has been confirmed as a data entry error. Per the Charlotte Hornets organization, the 5:15 PM ET and 5:30 PM ET entries on the NBA's injury report portal were incorrect — White is officially listed as Probable (left groin soreness) and is expected to play (r/CharlotteHornets on X, Apr 7; NBA.com, Apr 7; Yahoo Sports/Sporting News, Apr 7). White has scored in double figures in 12 consecutive appearances, averaging 17.9 PPG / 3.6 REB / 3.0 AST / 2.3 3PM over that stretch — a critical bench piece.
Per Celtics Wire's probable lineups report: Miles Bridges – Moussa Diabate – Brandon Miller – LaMelo Ball – Kon Knueppel (Celtics Wire, Apr 6)
Charlotte beat Minnesota 122-108 on the road Sunday (April 5), then traveled to Boston on Monday — a tight turnaround but not a true back-to-back. The Hornets enter on a 4-game win streak, scoring 120+ in each of the last 3 games, but Minnesota road fatigue and travel are real factors heading into tonight.
Charlotte's edges:
Charlotte's vulnerabilities:
Charlotte (43-36) enters in a must-win posture with 3 games remaining — half a game behind Toronto (6th seed) and fighting to avoid the Play-In. A win tonight would be a major statement and could vault them toward the 6-seed. The Hornets have maximum incentive. This is the 3rd and final regular-season meeting (series tied 1-1; road team has won both prior games) (USA Today SBW, Apr 7)
The brief Questionable listing for Coby White on ESPN was confirmed a portal error by the Hornets. He remains Probable and is expected to play. His 17.9 PPG over the last 12 games is a significant bench contribution — a true late scratch would be a material line mover, so monitor for any final tip-off update.