Overview
- Alperen Sengün led the way with 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Rockets closed out a 109-93 victory over the Celtics on Monday night.
- Houston controlled the paint and tempo, outscoring Boston 50-34 in the paint and 18-2 on fast breaks, a gap that decided the game late.
- Marcus Smart, facing his former team, provided disruptive defense and timely 3-pointers that extended Houston’s lead in the fourth quarter.
- Boston struggled from distance and looked fatigued on the second night of a back-to-back, shooting roughly 39 percent overall and about 29 percent from three.
- The win moved the Rockets to 7-1 and into first place in the West, while the Celtics fell to 5-2 with Mitchell Robinson’s thumb issue to monitor before Wednesday’s home game.