The Houston Rockets triumphed over the Boston Celtics in a nail-biting contest, securing a 114-112 victory at home. Amen Thompson emerged as the star of the night, scoring a career-high 33 points and clinching the win with a game-winning floater with just 0.7 seconds remaining. This victory marks the Rockets' ninth win in their last eleven games, underscoring their strong form this season.
Dillon Brooks delivered an outstanding performance, leading Houston with 36 points, including an impressive 10 of 15 from beyond the arc. In addition to Thompson and Brooks, Luke Kornet contributed significantly with 18 points. Kristaps Porzingis also added to the Rockets' tally with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Jalen Green, usually a key scorer for Houston, was limited to 12 points.
For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown scored 28 points, while Jayson Tatum managed to add 19 points despite going scoreless in the first half. Tatum's late-game heroics included a drive from near midcourt for a tying layup with 5.3 seconds left on the clock, momentarily leveling the score.
The game remained tightly contested throughout, with Thompson breaking free off an inbounds play for an easy dunk, pushing the Rockets ahead 112-110 before Tatum's equalizer. Despite their effort, the Celtics faced challenges with key players absent. Center Al Horford was a late scratch due to a pre-game decision, and Derrick White and Sam Hauser were also sidelined with injuries.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla took responsibility for the defensive lapses that allowed the Rockets to seize the win.
"Those last two plays were on me," said Mazzulla.
He elaborated further on his decision-making during those crucial moments.
"Those were my fault. Didn't put us in the best matchups, I saw the play that they were trying to run and I tried to change the matchups and put our guys in a tough spot."
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