Derrick White scored 23 points, while Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard added 20 each to lead the Boston Celtics to a 109-86 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
The Celtics held a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter and scored the first 11 points of the final period to extend their advantage to 93-72. White, Kristaps Porzingis, and Pritchard all connected on three-pointers during that stretch, helping Boston pull away for their third consecutive win.
With about 4 ½ minutes remaining and the lead at 21 points, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla emptied the bench.
Porzingis finished with 11 points and five rebounds in his return after missing four games due to a sprained left ankle.
Jalen Green led the Rockets with 27 points, but Houston lost for the third time in their last four games.
Takeaways:
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Celtics: Despite missing Jaylen Brown for a second straight game due to a shoulder strain, Boston managed the win comfortably. Sam Hauser, who scored 15 points in Brown’s absence the previous night, was scoreless on Friday.
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Rockets: Houston started 38-year-old Jeff Green for the first time this season, following news that Jabari Smith Jr. will be sidelined for up to two months with a broken bone in his hand. Amen Thompson, the fourth pick in the 2023 draft, stepped in for Smith after completing a two-game suspension for an altercation with Miami’s Tyler Herro.
Key Moment
Boston’s 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter and build a 21-point lead proved to be the turning point.
Key Stat
The Rockets shot just 36.4% from the field, making only 32 of 88 attempts. Jalen Green led the team, going 10 of 21, while Cam Whitmore struggled, shooting 4 of 17.