Rockets beat Celtics 109-93 as Boston shooting collapses
A five-game winning streak ended in Houston after the Celtics shot 39 percent from the field and allowed Alperen Sengun to post a 26-point, 10-assist game.
By Rebecca Kaminski ·
Boston Celtics fans watching from home saw their team's winning run snap on Monday night. The Celtics lost 109-93 to the Houston Rockets in a game that featured poor shooting and a dominant performance by Houston's star center.
The Celtics had won five games in a row before this matchup. They played in Orlando on Sunday afternoon and traveled to Houston for the second night of a back-to-back set. The loss drops their record to 5-2. The team never led at any point during the contest and trailed by as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter.
Boston's offense stalled due to inefficient shooting. The team finished the game shooting 39 percent from the field and 29 percent from three-point range. Jayson Tatum went 5-for-16 from the floor and 1-for-7 from deep. Derrick White shot 3-for-12 from the field. On the bench, Payton Pritchard went 0-for-7 from the field in 30 minutes, while Sam Hauser shot 1-for-6.
Alperen Sengun controlled the game for Houston. He scored a game-high 26 points and added 10 assists and 7 rebounds. Sengun also recorded two steals and two blocks. The Rockets used their size and Sengun's playmaking to keep the Celtics from mounting a comeback. Houston pulled away in the fourth quarter, extending their lead to 18 points before the final buzzer.
Postgame, Celtics broadcast members noted the struggles of the backcourt. Chris Forsberg and Eddie House pointed out that Derrick White, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchard combined to make only 4 of 25 field goal attempts for 13 total points. Forsberg said the group's performance spoiled the effort by Neemias Queta and Luka Garza at the center position. "A little disappointing that with a chance of a little bit of a measuring stick game, the Celtics weren't able to get anything from that group," Forsberg said.
The Celtics are missing veteran Paul George for this back-to-back. The team will return to Boston to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. After that home game, the Celtics begin a four-game road trip that takes them to Charlotte, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Toronto.
Source: WBTS-CD
