The Boston Celtics arrived in Houston to play the Rockets with the NBA’s second-longest winning streak behind them, hoping they could extend it from seven to eight games.
Boston won the tip and quickly jumped out to a 10-5 lead before the new-look, centerless small-ball Rockets charged back and took a 14-15 lead on a Westbrook dunk with six minutes to go in the first frame.
Houston threatened to build a lead several times, but the Celtics kept it close behind wing Jaylen Brown’s hot hand.
The Georgia native retook the lead for the Celtics halfway through the second, but the Rockets quickly wrested it back and looked ready to run away with it until point guard Kemba Walker was called for a technical foul that sparked an 8-0 run.
The Celtics would go into the half up 49-47, but Houston quickly caught up in the penultimate frame, with guard James Harden quickly pushing the Rockets to a 12-point lead.
As the third quarter wound down, Boston cut it to 75-69 until a pair of collisions muddied the waters.
Coach Mike D’Antoni and Brad Stevens both took a challenge for each, D’Antoni winning his after wing Robert Covington got a blocking call on forward Grant Williams.
Stevens, however, lost his as guard Russell Westbrook’s collision with Marcus Smart was deemed legal.
Boston would cut it to 78-77 with 10:30 to play, and both Harden and Covington would get their fifth fouls, but Brown would re-injure his one of his two sprained ankles as Houston built a 15-point lead.
The Celtics would clear their bench at the two-minute mark, waiving the flag of surrender before falling to the Rockets 116-104 and seeing their seven-game winning streak end.
Houston was led by by Harden’s 42-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist performance, with 36 points, 10 boards and 5 assists.
The Celtics saw 20 points, 8 boards, and 6 assists from forward Gordon Hayward in the loss, and 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting for Brown.
First-time All-Star Jayson Tatum had 15 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals.
The Boston Celtics next face the Los Angeles Clippers at TD Garden on Thursday, February 13th at 8pm ET.
