On night two of a difficult road back-to-back, the Rockets quickly ran out of steam in Saturday’s 145-113 blowout loss (box score) at Boston. Houston fell to 19-19, while the Celtics (30-9) continue to hold the NBA’s best record of the 2023-24 regular season to date.
Led by Alperen Sengun (19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists), the Rockets — who won Friday in Detroit — were quite competitive until late in the second quarter. But that’s when the rested home team started to pull away on a hot-shooting night.
The Celtics shot a blistering 24-of-47 from 3-point range (51.1%) on Saturday, while Houston was 7-of-30 (23.3%). To say the least, that 51-point discrepancy was difficult to overcome. Boston is now a perfect 19-0 at home, while the Rockets are just 4-13 on the road.
Both members of Boston’s perennial All-Star duo were outstanding, with Jaylen Brown scoring 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting (73.3%) and 4-of-6 from 3-point range (66.7%). Jayson Tatum added 27 points and 8 rebounds on 9-of-17 shooting (52.9%) and 4-of-7 on 3-pointers (57.1%). Neither star had to play more than 30 minutes.
Beyond Sengun, it was a rough night for players who were leaned on heavily in Friday’s last-second win. Houston’s starting backcourt of Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green combined to score just 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting (33.3%), while Jabari Smith Jr. had 9 points on 4-of-11 shooting (36.4%) and 0-of-4 on 3-pointers.
The biggest bright spot for the Rockets was rookie wing Cam Whitmore, who had fresh legs after only playing 15 minutes Friday. The 19-year-old had a career-high 22 points and 8 rebounds while making 7-of-13 shots (53.8%) and going 6-of-8 on free throws (73.0%).
The Rockets were again short-handed, with second-year forward Tari Eason (left lower leg soreness) still sidelined. However, veteran defensive ace Dillon Brooks returned to the starting lineup after missing Houston’s past nine games with a right oblique strain. Brooks finished with 12 points and a steal in 25 minutes played.
For Rockets coach Ime Udoka, it was his first return to Boston since the improper workplace relationship that cost him his job there prior to the 2022-23 season. When asked about the incident in his pregame media session, he cited “letting people down” as a regret.
Here’s our look at highlights and postgame interviews, along with reaction by media members and fans. Houston continues its road trip Monday in Detroit (24-13), where tipoff is at 12:00 p.m. Central.
Jan. 14 Rockets-Celtics reaction
Ime Udoka: "I didn't love our competitiveness when we came out in the third quarter."
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 14, 2024
Mixture of cheers and boos for Ime Udoka during #Rockets intros pic.twitter.com/Zp6nTEPZ3Z
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) January 14, 2024
Ime Udoka made his return to Boston tonight with a mix of boos and cheers. Before the game, he talked about how he left things with the players he nearly won a title with and how he's tried to move forward from his departure.
New w/ @KellyIko:https://t.co/XmcxUM7uQI
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) January 14, 2024
Cam Whitmore with two quick threes since checking in.
He came ready to play 👀
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 14, 2024
Rockets lose 145-113 in Boston.
Alperen Sengun looked very good, but Boston played out of their minds and he didn't get much help.
Cam Whitmore impressed with 22 points and 8 boards on 7-13 shooting. Amen was excellent defensively but has a long way to go offensively. GG
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) January 14, 2024
Absolutely. Need Amen Thompson to keep up the pressure.
It will work better against weaker teams, and this is how he's gonna learn which moves work and which don't, what he needs to work on, etc https://t.co/XzNweu9uVb
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) January 14, 2024
Imagine how we would feel if the Rockets didn't win last night and then get destroyed like this, we'd be in complete shambles
— Abel (@AbelGe87) January 14, 2024
Think Houston played well. Sengun dominating. Rookies chipped in. Defensive rotations were sharp and they contested most shots they wanted to.
They are down 11
— Nathan Fogg (@NathanFogg1) January 14, 2024
Things that seem little but are major: Coach Udoka constantly teaching and instructing the young guys in real time. pic.twitter.com/nA8be4kdLh
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) January 14, 2024
AMEN THOMPSON 🚀🏀#Rockets vs Celtics@HoustonRockets on SCHN pic.twitter.com/10meQKVzJJ
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 14, 2024
🏀Welcome back Dillon Brooks 🏀#Rockets vs Celtics@HoustonRockets on SCHN pic.twitter.com/h4pL7eX9M7
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 14, 2024
CAM WHITMORE FOR 3⃣
Join us for #Rockets vs Celtics @HoustonRockets basketball on SCHN pic.twitter.com/cuaeL1UDHc
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 14, 2024
JABARI SMITH JR OFFENSIVE REBOUND & PUTBACK#Rockets vs Celtics@HoustonRockets on Space City Home Network pic.twitter.com/HRBj2IaEIW
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 14, 2024
DILLON BROOKS IS BACK !!!!#Rockets vs Celtics
Our @HoustonRockets coverage on SCHN begins at 5:30PM with the Pregame Show pic.twitter.com/TtO4vCfNwv— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 13, 2024
This generational beatdown the Texans putting on the Browns right now in the playoffs is going to make that 30 point loss the Rockets take to the Celtics tonight hurt a lot less.
— ᵂᴵᴸᴸ (@BiasedHouston) January 13, 2024
Houston Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore tonight #Rockets
— 22 points
— 8 rebounds
— 7/13 FG
— 2/7 3p
— 6/8 FT
— 28 minutes pic.twitter.com/59Xv2jU02e— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) January 14, 2024
How well did the Rockets defend Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown tonight? “I would’ve loved for people to guard them the way we guarded them tonight when I was here,” Ime Udoka said.
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 14, 2024
There was some three-point luck baked into the Rockets 2nd best defensive rating at the start of the season. That three-point luck has since disappeared
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 14, 2024
Aaron Holiday, who did not play after the first quarter last night, is not out there with the Jabari Smith Jr and 4 bench guys lineup. It's Tate in his spot tonight with Thompson, Whitmore, and Je. Green
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 14, 2024
Ime Udoka highlighted the #Rockets lack of competitiveness to start the third and physicality as key reasons for tonight's loss.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 14, 2024
Jayson Tatum picks up a second technical and gets ejected from the game.
He really decided to leave work early 😂
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 14, 2024
Joe Mazzulla shares his assessment of how the #Celtics played on a night they won big but the Rockets had a few edges within the margins.
Mazzulla loved the force Boston played with defensively in the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/TdrJyGBmFw
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) January 14, 2024
Jaylen Brown says he wants to make the argument for an all-defensive team this season with his excellent defensive play 💪@tvabby catches up with him after the Celtics' dominant performance against the Rockets pic.twitter.com/bq2tYJ90rA
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 14, 2024
#Rockets highlight of the night
Alperen Sengun ➡️ Cam WhitmoreTonight vs Boston
Alpi – 19 PTS / 10 REB / 4 STL
Cam – 22 PTS / 7 REB@HoustonRockets on SCHN pic.twitter.com/MtFNlqbjE3— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 14, 2024
Asked Fred VanVleet about his main takeaway from tonight:
"Sometimes you're the bug, sometimes you're the windshield. You gotta be able to flush it and move on to the next." pic.twitter.com/KogBHvLpRb
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 14, 2024
Dillon Brooks talks about his return after missing 9 games with an oblique injury
Tonight vs BOS – 25 MIN / 12 PTS@HoustonRockets I #Rockets pic.twitter.com/lHdjNjb1r0
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 14, 2024
