When they clash with the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, the Boston Celtics will wrap up a lengthy journey away from home.

Apart from two consecutive heart-breaking losses in Atlanta, the Celtics have had a successful road trip, securing a 3-2 record. They regained momentum with a 104-92 victory over New Orleans on Saturday.

“The effort was there (and) the defensive execution as far as game plan was there,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said of finding the right formula again. “It’s continuing to find that balance. We played a bunch of different lineups.”

With the top seed already secured in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Celtics (58-16) have triumphed in 10 of their last 12 outings.

Although Boston typically thrives on a fast tempo, their success is not solely reliant on speed.

“We don’t necessarily want to play faster,” Mazzulla said. “We just want to think faster. We want to get to our spacing faster.”

The high expectations placed on the Celtics make the recent losses to the Hawks a topic of external discussion, testing the team’s potential.

“It’s impossible to ignore the noise, but it’s more about where our team and our locker room keeps its focus,” Mazzulla said.

The Hornets (18-56) will confront another top contender as they host the Celtics, coming off a 130-118 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Despite the setback, the Hornets recorded their highest point total since Feb. 15. To challenge the Celtics, they will likely need a similar level of offensive output.

Playing against elite teams is crucial for the Hornets to identify areas for improvement, especially for their younger squad members, as acknowledged by coach Steve Clifford.

“Where they’re going to learn the most is to play intense games that really matter,” Clifford said. “It’s important that they do learn and that we have an environment that they’re playing to win.”

Despite being out of playoff contention for some time and dealing with injuries impacting their lineup options, the Hornets aim to stay competitive.

“Guys have to earn their minutes,” he said. “I want us to play better.”

In a rare defeat, the Celtics succumbed to the Hornets 121-118 in overtime on Nov. 20 in Charlotte. Miles Bridges sealed the win with a decisive 3-pointer in the final seconds of OT, overshadowing Jayson Tatum‘s impressive 45-point, 13-rebound performance for Boston.

Tatum has been a consistent top scorer for the Celtics in the last four games.

“We have a ton of weapons,” Mazzulla said. “We have to go to different lineups that bring different things.”

On Sunday, the Hornets struggled against Paul George of the Clippers, who scored 41 points. Hornets rookie Brandon Miller, admiring George, aims to learn from his performance to enhance his own skills.

Following the Monday game, the Celtics will conclude the regular season with six of their last seven matches at home.

Starting with a 1-2 record on an eight-game homestand, the Hornets will finish with three consecutive away games, including a matchup against Boston on April 12.