Celtics use 3-point barrage to crush Rockets, stay perfect at home

Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 32 points and Jayson Tatum finished with 27 to help the Boston Celtics defeat the visiting Houston Rockets, 145-113, on Saturday, January 13 (Sunday, January 14, Manila time).

Brown made 11 of his 15 field-goal attempts and was 4-for-6 from three-point territory. Tatum also had 8 rebounds and 5 assists before he was ejected following his second technical foul with 10:17 to play.

Payton Pritchard added 19 points and Kristaps Porzingis had 17 to help Boston improve its home record to 19-0.

The Celtics made 24 of their 47 three-point attempts (51.1%). The 24 made three-pointers is three shy of the franchise record, set against the New York Knicks in 2022. Ten Boston players made at least one three-pointer.

Houston shot 40.4% from the field (40 of 99). The Rockets were 7 of 30 from behind the arc.

Cam Whitmore came off the bench to score a team-high 22 points for Houston. Alperen Sengun finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Dillon Brooks returned to the Houston lineup after missing nine games with a right oblique strain. He scored 12 points in 25 minutes.

It was the first game in Boston for Houston coach Ime Udoka since he was fired as Celtics head coach following the 2021-22 season.

The Celtics led 35-31 after one quarter and 69-58 at halftime. Boston made 12 of its 24 three-point attempts in the first half. The Rockets trailed 51-50 with 5:45 remaining in the second quarter, but the Celtics went on an 18-8 run to end the period.

Boston scored the first 7 points in the second half, with 5 coming from Brown, and stretched the lead to 27 in the third quarter. The Celtics outscored the Rockets 43-28 in the third and led 112-86 entering the final 12 minutes.

Boston’s lead topped out at 36 in the fourth.

The loss dropped Houston’s road record to 4-13. – Rappler.com