BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics took their defense from solid in the first half to stifling in the second.Isaiah Thomas scored 16 of his 26 points after halftime and Al Horford had 18 points and five blocked shots as Boston beat the Charlotte Hornets 96-88 on Friday night to stop a three-game slide.Coach just told us we needed to step up our level of energy a little more on the defensive end, Horford said. We did that and that was the big difference.Getting Thomas back after he missed four straight games with a groin strain didnt hurt, either.Thomas scored nine in the third quarter as the Celtics fought back from a 12-point deficit. He added seven in the fourth to help Boston put away the Hornets.We got stops and got running, Thomas said. The one thing we did in the fourth quarter is we just spaced the floor and made plays for each other. Guys hit big shots.Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder added 12 points apiece for the Celtics, who held the Hornets to 13 field goals in the second half.Charlotte played without leading scorer Kemba Walker, who did not travel with the team due to personal reasons, and lost its fourth straight.Although the Hornets outrebounded Boston 54-46, the Celtics outscored them 38-30 in the paint as Charlotte had trouble converting inside.We have to finish some of these plays, coach Steve Clifford said. You get these point-blank ones and you dont have the floor balance in there back the other way. There were two or three of those that were huge plays.Nicolas Batum led the Hornets with 22 points and 10 rebounds.Ramon Sessions had 13 points and six assists, Marco Belinelli scored 11 and Jeremy Lamb added 10 points for the Hornets.Crowder hit a 3 with 6:11 left to put Boston up 80-79 after Charlotte scored seven straight points. Thomas drew a flagrant foul by Belinelli and hit both free throws. Boston retained possession because of the flagrant, and Crowder drew another foul and added two more free throws to put Boston ahead 84-79.Cody Zeller missed from inside for Charlotte, and Thomas came back with a 3-pointer to make it 87-79 with 4:52 left. Charlotte turned it over right away after the inbounds play and Bradley added another 3 that gave Boston a 90-79 cushion with 4:24 to go.After a basket by Belinelli with 6:32 left completed their 7-0 run, the Hornets went scoreless until his layup with 2:20 remaining cut it to 92-81.Boston held Charlotte to five field goals in the third quarter, when the Hornets were 5 of 23.Charlotte closed the second on a 14-4 run and took a 50-41 lead into halftime. The Hornets led 60-48 early in the third when the Celtics started their surge. Kelly Olynyk hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 62 with 3:57 left, and it was tied 69-all at the end of the third.MISSING KEMBASessions started for Walker and had six assists, but the Hornets offense appeared lost without Walker.Hes one of the best in the league, so we missed him a lot tonight, Batum said. We played better tonight overall. But we should have won that game, anyway. No excuses.COLD OUTSIDEAfter shooting 2 of 14 from beyond the arc in the first half, the Celtics started hitting from outside in the third period. They went 7 of 14 on 3-pointers in the second half and held Charlotte to 19 points in each of the final two quarters.WELCOME BACKThomas hadnt played since scoring 20 points against Houston on Dec. 5. The Celtics went 1/3 in the games he missed and were happy to have him leading the offense once again.It helps all of us just because it opens the floor even more. Teams have to play us a little more honest, said Horford, who also had eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Its just good to have him back.TIP-INSHornets: Walker is averaging 22.6 points per game. He missed his first game this season, but was expected to return when the Hornets visit Atlanta on Saturday night. Walkers absence made Belinelli and Sessions the only Charlotte players to appear in all 27 games this season.Celtics: Jonas Jerebko scored nine points to lead Bostons reserves.UP NEXTHornets: At the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.Celtics: At the Miami Heat on Sunday night. Cheap Florida Panthers Jerseys . William Carrier opened the scoring for Cape Breton (6-4-2), but Andrew Ryan tied the game and Brent Andrews put the Mooseheads (8-6-0) in front for good with a short-handed goal at 13:49 of the second period. Cheap Panthers Jerseys China . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. http://www.cheapfloridapanthersjerseys.com/ . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Wholesale Panthers Jerseys . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Cheap Panthers Jerseys Authentic .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Azalea Stakes (Race 4) Purse: $100,000 7 Furlongs 3-Year-Old Fillies StakesDearest, the days best, undefeated from six to seven furlongs and hard to look past once again if able to secure similar stalking trip off speedy Ballet Diva as she did in the Royal Palm. Curlins Approval a very impressive debut winner and well drawn outside. Worked well, galloped out strong on 6/26 with Jaramillo aboard but no surprise hell remain loyal to preferred choice today. Twirl Girl a dangerous looking shipper from Ky. who comes off arguably her best yet although will have to improve quite a bit on the Beyer scale to catch up to the favorite.1. Dearest 2. Curlins Approval 3. Twirl GirlMiesques Approval Stakes (Race 6) Purse: $75,000 1-1/16 Miles 3-Year-Olds & Up StakesAire Bueno steadied a couple of times in traffic, did well to come on to finish second behind Grand Isle when pair met, this distance, on 6/16 and eligible to reverse the decision if getting first run on that rival today as he figures to do in a field lacking much in the way of any real speed other than longshot Star Contender. Grand Isle, like preferred one, in peak form at the present time, can surely take another with the right trip. Hammers Terror another who didnt get the cleanest of trips when outfinished by Xaverian as even money choice in the Raymond Earl with both key contenders as well in this very evenly matched bunch.1. Aire Bueno 2. Grand Isle 3. Hammers TerrorBirdonthewire Stakes (Race 7) Purse: $75,000 5-1/2 Furlongs 2-Year-Olds StaakesThree Rules may be the most talented 2yo weve seen here thus far this spring/summer, cruised to easy win in the slop in debut, gets Lasix for stakes bow.dddddddddddd May have Francesco Appeal as his toughest rival, the latter super impressive himself at first asking and working well since that outing. Lures Castellano. Lots to like. Cinderela El Crome another who impressed on graduation day albeit over a wet track. Worked swift half for this last weekend.1. Three Rules 2. Francesco Appeal 3. Cinderela El CromeCarry Back Stakes (Race 8) Purse: $150,000 7 Furlongs 3-Year-Olds Grade 3 StakesAwesome Banner came back home running when turning back to 6 1/2 furlongs in the Big Cypress and still relatively untested at distances up to seven-eighths. Barn in a bit of a drought right now but should right the ship if away cleanly from the fence. Discreet Angel an intriguing sort. Was a Group 1 winner prior to coming to U.S., had a rough trip while also catching wet track in Maryland, showed big speed in the a.m. upon shipping here from N.Y. Could be a sleeper if top one not up to his best. Rated R Superstar comes off arguably his best effort yet and would surely benefit if the top two hook up in some sort of early duel while also in receipt of 6 lbs. from both those rivals. Figures to be coming best of all at the end1. Awesome Banner 2. Discreet Angel 3. Rated R Superstar ' ' '