Kristaps Porzingis led the Boston Celtics, currently the top team in the NBA, to a 116-107 victory over the undermanned Houston Rockets on Sunday night with a stellar 32-point performance.
The Celtics bounced back to winning form, improving their record to 33-10 following their first home loss against Denver. Boston boasts a strong home record of 20-1 and a decent 13-9 record on the road.
Porzingis highlighted the team’s collaborative spirit, noting that players can step up on any night. He was efficient in his shooting, making 11-20 from the field and 6-11 from beyond the arc, also adding five blocks.
“Each night, it can be a different guy who has a good game,” Porzingis said. “We have that trust in each other that we’re willing to sacrifice to get a guy the ball if he’s having a good night, and tonight was my night. We just took advantage of the mismatches.”
Derrick White contributed with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 18 and 13 points, respectively, with Brown achieving his third career triple-double.
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Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised the team’s ability to adapt to different defensive strategies and lauded Porzingis for his significant contribution to the game.
“Teams are switching on- and off-ball and pressuring us, so the ability to play in the post is something we have to continue to develop for the long-term success of this team,” Mazzulla said. “I thought he was great, and he stepped up tonight and played a great game.”
Dillon Brooks was the leading scorer for Houston with 25 points, supported by Alperen Sengun with 24 points and Jalen Green with 16. Rookie Amen Thompson added 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. The Rockets, who had just secured an overtime win against Utah, were missing key players like Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. due to injuries.
“We played hard and played together,” Brooks said. “It’s good to know we have it in us to play at that level against one of the great teams in the NBA. We’ve got to figure out how to do it for 48 minutes.”
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Despite the loss, Brooks expressed pride in his team’s performance against a top-tier opponent and emphasized the need for consistency over the entire game.
The Celtics were also without some key players, including Al Horford and Jrue Holiday. Aaron Holiday, Jrue’s brother, contributed 12 points and five assists off the bench for Houston.
This game marked another victory for the Celtics against their former coach Ime Udoka’s new team, following a dominant win earlier in the season. Udoka acknowledged his team’s improved focus but noted the impact of Boston’s other players, especially in offensive rebounds.
“We had our chances,” Udoka said. “Our focus and attention to detail was better on certain guys. We did a decent job on Jaylen Brown and Jayson all night — it was just that the others hurt us, especially offensive rebounds from some of their bigs.”
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Boston’s advantage in rebounding, particularly with 17 offensive rebounds, was crucial in outscoring Houston in second-chance points. Mazzulla emphasized the team’s improvement in this aspect and its significance in securing extra possessions.
“It’s something we’ve stressed this year, and it’s something we’ve gotten better at,” Mazzulla said. “On nights like this, it keeps baskets alive and gives us extra possessions.”
Looking ahead, the Celtics will face the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, while the Rockets are set to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.
