Identical groups, similar end result. Of their second assembly this month, the Celtics began their three-game street journey with a win in opposition to the Rockets 116-107.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup, each groups have been undermanned. Boston was with out Jrue Vacation (proper elbow sprain) and Al Horford (relaxation with a recreation tomorrow in Dallas). On the second night time of back-to-back, Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet, Jeff Inexperienced, and Reggie Bullock sat out for the Rockets. Sam Hauser acquired his fifth begin.
It was only a week in the past that the Celtics waxed the Rockets 145-113 in Ime Udoka’s return. Within the blowout in Boston, the house workforce caught fireplace, hitting 24-of-47 from behind the arc. That scorching capturing made the journey to the Toyota Middle within the first quarter. The Cs scored 35 factors within the first body after hitting 5-of-11 three-pointers. Kristaps Porzingis had 15 factors with three threes and a couple of blocks.
The second quarter belonged to the second unit. After weathering an early Jalen Inexperienced run, a lineup that includes Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis paired with Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Oshae Brissett outscored the Rockets’ starters 19-12 to shut out the primary half. Unselfish ball motion led to open triples for Hauser, Pritchard, and Porzingis to stretch the result in 70-55 at halftime with 19 assists on 26 made photographs. Per Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe, that’s the eighth time this regular season that the team has finished with 70+ points in a half.
How’s this for a powerful end to shut the quarter from DWhite:
The second half opened with some lackadaisical play from Boston adopted by a sequence of runs for each groups: Rockets 11-5, Celtics 8-0, Rockets once more 14-2, and Celtics 5-0. It was 90-80 heading into the ultimate body.
Of their first recreation with Udoka on the opposing sideline, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum mixed for 59 factors in lower than half-hour every. The previous Celtics head coach even joked that he wished groups defended the Jays like that when he was in Boston. However in Friday night time’s marquee matchup with the defending champs, Brown and Tatum struggled in opposition to the Nuggets, making simply 15-of-43 of their area aim makes an attempt.
Beneath Udoka, the Rockets boast a top-10 protection and it was one other tough night time for the Celtics All-Stars. Tatum completed simply 4-of-17 from the sphere (9-for-12 from the free throw line) and Brown 6-of-14, however with a 13-11-10 close to triple-double.
Ultimately, it was Porzingis’ night time. After a powerful first quarter, the massive man would play robust once more within the clutch with key buckets within the submit and 32 factors and 5 blocks on the night time. Typically paired with Luke Kornet, the double huge lineup protected the rim down the stretch with 5 rejections within the 4th.
The Celtics are again in motion tomorrow night time in opposition to previous pals Grant Williams, Kyrie Irving, and the Dallas Mavericks at 8:30 pm EST.
