The Houston Rockets went 0-2 for their two-game road trip following their matchup with the Boston Celtics on Friday night. The Rockets have struggled to pull out wins this season, as they are 22 games below the .500 percentage mark. The No. 14 ranked Rockets now have a record of 13-35. The Celtics came out and finished strong, picking up a win (0-0), ending what was a 2-game losing streak. The Celtics tied their season-high with 35 assists during this matchup and kept the ball moving around the court. Marcus Smart ended had a low-scoring night but had 10 assists and 3 steals, making huge plays for the Celtics.
Another Tough Loss for Houston
Houston was unable to come out with a win on Friday night, losing by 16 points. The struggling rockets are ranked No.25 in points per game and last in 3-point percentage. Despite the hard loss, Christian Wood had himself a great game. Wood finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Going 8/16, Wood scored 50% of his shots from the field.
A Great Night for Robert Williams III
Robert Williams III has been a strong player for the Celtics recently. The Celtics were without Williams on Wednesday night during their matchup against the Dallas Mavericks due to illness. During the Celtics’ last game against the Rockets on March 14th, Williams had 16 points and 13 rebounds, going 7/7 from the field. Williams came out strong and on fire for the Celtics on Friday night, immediately making plays and putting up points. Williams was just short of earning a triple-double on Friday night, ending with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, going 9/9 from the field. Two of Williams’ best games have now been against the Rockets.
Evan Fournier Heats Up During the Fourth Quarter
The Celtics acquired shooting guard Evan Fournier on March 26th from the Orlando Magic. Fournier has had a slow start since joining the Celtics team. Despite having a slow start, Fournier found his groove on Friday night in the fourth quarter. After the first half, Fournier came out and slowly got more comfortable on the court. Fournier came finished with 23 points, a significant improvement from his 6-point game on Wednesday night. Over 15 of those points were made in the fourth quarter. He went 8/13 from the field and 7/11 from the three-point line.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown Combine for 48 Points
It is no surprise that star players Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had a high-scoring night against the Rockets on Friday. Tatum, who played 32 minutes on Friday night, went 9/17 from the field, 5/11 from the three-point line, and 3-3 for free throws. Scoring the most points for the Celtics, Tatum had 26 points along with 9 rebounds.
As for Brown, he also had a high-scoring night. Besides a high-scoring night, Brown also made a lot of clutch defensive and offensive moves. In the fourth quarter, Brown suffered a slight knee injury and limped off the court and to the locker room. Brown ended the night with 22 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
Up Next
The Celtics with host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, April 4th, at 6:00 pm. The No. 4 Hornets have a record of 25-23.
The Rockets will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, April 4th, at 8:00 pm. The No. 12 Pelicans have a record of 21-26.
