BOSTON, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Antoine Walker had 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Paul Pierce scored 18 points Wednesday night as the Boston Celtics took a big first-half lead and held on for an 80-72 exhibition victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Walker and Pierce sparked the offense early as Boston got off to an excellent start in its preseason opener. Walker scored nine points in the first quarter as the Celtics built a 25-16 lead.
Boston opened the second quarter with a 10-3 run and took its largest lead, 35-19, midway through. Milt Palacio scored four of his 12 points during the surge and the Celtics held a 41-29 cushion at halftime.
Charlotte scored 19 of the first 21 points in the second half, led by Baron Davis, who scored seven of his 13 points during that stretch. Lee Nailon, Elden Campbell and P.J. Brown added four points apiece.
Nailon made a jumper to put the Hornets ahead, 50-45, with 6:24 left in the third, but Boston went on an 11-4 run and took the lead for good on an 18-foot jumper by Walker with 3:28 to go.
Pierce grabbed seven rebounds, but committed nine of Boston's 23 turnovers and Eric Williams had nine points and five rebounds. Joseph Forte did not take a shot in four minutes while fellow rookie Joe Johnson had two points and three rebounds in 18 minutes.
Nailon finished with 14 points while hitting seven of eight shots from the field and Davis had 13 points and nine assists. Former Celtic David Wesley collected 14 points, six assists and five steals.
Rookie Lorenzo Coleman had seven points and six rebounds and first-round pick Kirk Haston was none for four in seven minutes.
