The Boston Celtics moved one step closer to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs by beating the Charlotte Hornets 113-102 on Tuesday night in Charlotte.

The Celtics are now 54-25 on the season with three games to play. They can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win over the Knicks on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Here's what you need to know:

The MVP candidate had 35 points to lead the Celtics, also going 13-of-29 from the floor. He grabbed nine rebounds as well. With his output, he became the eighth player in Celtics history to score 2,000 points or more in a single season. He joins Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Jayson Tatum, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Kevin McHale and Isaiah Thomas.

It's been that kind of season for Brown, who just earned his third Eastern Conference Player of the Week Award.

--Brown wasn't the only one who played well: Jayson Tatum had 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting while Neemias Queta, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard all had 12.

--The Celtics were 17-of-42 from three-point range and 10-of-12 at the foul line.

--They outrebounded the Hornets 45-40.

--Both teams committed 12 turnovers.

--LaMelo Ball was the game-high scorer, dropping 36 for Charlotte.

--Former Celtic Grant Williams had nine points in 26 minutes.

Nikola Vucevic, playing his second game since coming back from a finger fracture, scored two points in 23 minutes. He added seven rebounds, two steals, two assists and had a turnover.

The C's will continue trying to work him into the rotation more and more as the playoffs near. He was expected to be a big part of the attack when they acquired him at the trade deadline from the Chicago Bulls.

When the Celtics take on the Knicks on Thursday, it will be the first time back at MSG for Tatum since tearing his Achilles' tendon in the Eastern Conference playoffs last May.

Per Celtics on CLNS Media:

"I mean yea I thought about it, I'm not like thrilled to go back and play there. Last time I played there, obviously it was a traumatic experience for me ... I decided to come back and play so just another game on the schedule."

The tip-off on Thursday is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will air on Amazon Prime video.

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