Boston falls to Thompson game winner, Celtics lose 114-112 to Rockets

Coming off of a 3-1 west coast highway journey and win over the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics got here again residence to face off towards the Houston Rockets. After a dogfight of a recreation, Boston got here up brief, because the Rockets gained 114-112 giving Ime Udoka his first win towards the Celtics as a head coach.

Jaylen Brown led the best way for the Celtics on this recreation with 28 factors however Dillion Brooks performed the sport of his life, scoring 36 factors on a profession excessive 10 threes. Amen Thompson was simply nearly as good, scoring a profession excessive 33 factors together with the sport winner.

Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis opened the sport on fireplace because the cookies and cream duo began the primary quarter with 15 of the Celtics first 17 factors. Luke Kornet was a late addition to the beginning lineup for the Celtics but it surely didn’t take lengthy for him to make an influence as he threw down a monster slam over the Rockets Amen Thompson.

Al Horford was questionable main as much as the sport and was reported as obtainable, nevertheless Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman had been part of the primary bench substitution within the first quarter.

Though the Celtics received off to a fast begin, the Rockets caught fireplace, occurring a 20-5 run dominated by Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks. Brooks was the extra shocking a part of Houston’s run, scoring 12 factors on 4-4 taking pictures from three within the quarter.

Jordan Walsh checked in for the Celtics with below two minutes to go within the first quarter but it surely couldn’t decelerate the Rockets’ excessive flying offense as Houston ended the quarter with a 31-27 lead. Amen Thompson was an issue for Boston, scoring 14 factors on 5-6 taking pictures and was a blur when it got here to attacking the basket.

Jaden Springer checked in for the Celtics to start out the second quarter and instantly received a steal on Steven Adams as Joe Mazzulla continued to combine and match with the lineups.

Kristaps Porzingis continued his scorching taking pictures, splashing a 3 and going up for a nasty put again dunk. He made certain to stare down Dillion Brooks after, leading to a technical foul however Porzingis was too busy hyping up the ruckus TD Backyard crowd.

Houston was not phased by the theatrics as they went on one other lengthy 15-4 run to open up a double digit lead on Boston. The Celtics offense responded with a 12-4 run of their very own however nonetheless went into halftime trailing the Rockets 54-52.

Boston’s offense was nice within the first quarter taking pictures 46% from the sphere and 38% from three. All of this with Jayson Tatum scoring 0 factors, the primary time he went scoreless within the first half since November 4th, 2021 towards the Miami Warmth.

The cookies and cream duo had been in a position to decide Tatum up within the first half, as Jaylen Brown completed with 16 factors on 6-12 taking pictures and Kristaps Porzingis completed 15 factors on 5-7 taking pictures (3-4 from three). Dillion Brooks led the Rockets with 17 factors on 5-9 taking pictures from three on the half and Amen Thompson was proper behind him with 16 factors.

The third quarter began with Jayson Tatum hitting his first shot of the sport with a fadeaway jumper. Dillon Brooks continued to torment the Celtics, hitting two extra threes to start out the quarter for a profession excessive of seven.

Boston was in a position to maintain the sport shut nevertheless they had been with out Kristaps Porzingis after he picked up his fifth foul with 4:34 left within the third quarter.

After Dillon Brooks hit his eighth three, Drew Peterson checked in with with three and a half minutes to go within the quarter. Jaden Springer checked in alongside him and hit an enormous three, persevering with his spectacular play as of late.

The story of the third quarter for the Celtics nevertheless was Jayson Tatum, as after a scoreless first half, he scored 15 factors on 3-6 taking pictures and 8-8 on the free throw line.

After a Luke Kornet put again layup on the buzzer and Tatum’s large quarter the Celtics took an 89-85 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter began with Payton Pritchard placing on a present. He discovered Luke Kornet on an unimaginable go for a layup after which hit a fadeaway nook three. A Jaylen Brown midrange jumper compelled Ime Udoka to name a timeout as Boston began the quarter on a 7-0 run.

Dillon Brooks’ ninth three received the Rockets offense going once more as they rattled off an 13-0 run to retake the lead with 5:23 to go. Amen Thompson continued to get to the paint at will however Jrue Vacation answered with a nook three because the lead modified once more. After a 3 second violation, Luke Kornet left the sport with an damage with 3:36 left.

The cookies and cream connection continued to assist the Celtics as Brown threw an ally-oop to Porzingis with 3:08 left.

Nevertheless Dillon Brooks responded together with his tenth three of the night time to present the Rockets the lead with 1:39 left. Tatum responded with a layup however Thompson answered once more with a fadeaway jumper.

After buying and selling missed photographs, Brown received fouled with 15.5 seconds to go. Out of the inbound go, Tatum discovered Brown who minimize to the rim to attract one other foul and get free throws. Brown hit each free throws and the sport was tied with 11.8 seconds to go.

Out of the Rockets timeout, Fred VanVleet inbounded to Alperen Sengun who received a free journey to the basket for a lead taking dunk, forcing Joe Mazzulla to name his final timeout with 10 seconds to go.

Out of the Celtics timeout, Vacation inbounded the ball to Porzinigs who discovered Tatum on the three level line. Tatum drove to rim and scored to tie the sport once more and Houston known as their final timeout with 5.3 seconds to go.

Vanvleet discovered Amen Thompson who received large open to hit a simple floater, successful the sport for the Rockets after Payton Prichard’s half courtroom shot try got here up brief.

The following recreation for the Celtics is on Wednesday January twenty ninth towards the Chicago Bulls at 7:30pm.