For the second time in three video games, the Boston Celtics placed on a defensive masterclass once they blew the Houston Rockets out of their very own constructing, 109-86.
It wasn’t at all times a blowout. The primary half was fairly backwards and forwards, really. Houston received a pleasant scoring punch from Jalen Inexperienced and cleaned up on the offensive glass.
They managed to shut an 11-point hole with 14 second-chance factors in opposition to the Celtics on simply six offensive rebounds (insane to suppose they scored greater than two factors on every of these additional possessions).
“I assumed they received the higher of us to start out the sport from a bodily standpoint, after which I assumed they did an awesome job responding,” mentioned head coach Joe Mazzulla.
Boy, did they ever reply.
As soon as they got here out of the locker room, Boston determined that it was time to place an finish to only about all of Houston’s offense. Blocked pictures, steals, traps, physicality; the second half had all of it.
Mazzulla’s gamers solely allowed 30 whole factors within the second half, and solely 12 within the fourth quarter. The Rockets shot simply 26.3% from the sphere and 17.6% from past the arc.
Boston both made them work for all the things or compelled Houston to play via unreliable shooters like Dillon Brooks and Cam Whitmore. Even their makes got here off of adverse seems like this one.
The Rockets entered the fourth quarter down by 10. By the point they scored their first factors 5 minutes into the body, they have been staring up at a 19-point deficit. If you would like a first-rate instance of how one can put a sport to mattress, look no additional.
Even after issues have been all however over, the Cs continued to entice and strain ballhandlers with their third unit. It was clear that they have been enjoying on a brand new degree.
Maybe that had a bit to do with the “look within the mirror” assembly that Kristaps Porzingis talked about postgame.
Kristaps Porzingis on the Celtics’ 2-0 begin to a street journey in opposition to a few of the high groups within the West:
“We had a superb assembly earlier than this journey. Wanting within the mirror kind of assembly and see the place we are able to enhance and what we are able to do higher as a result of groups are clearly coming for us… pic.twitter.com/szbcPo19GN
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) January 4, 2025
When requested what moved the needle on Friday, Mazzulla couldn’t simply decide one space.
“You first have to have the ability to defend on the level of assault, and Luke [Kornet] was ready to do this,” he mentioned of the large man’s effectiveness in opposition to Rockets middle Aleperen Sengun, who scored simply 14 factors Friday. “And our guards did an awesome job in pick-and-roll, taking away the seam catch and once they did, KP was there to swarm him. So, it was a workforce effort defensively. It was great things.”
Listed below are a number of extra examples of Boston’s straitjacket protection.
A efficiency like this actually couldn’t have come at a greater time.
The Celtics and their protection have been beneath the media microscope for the ultimate days of 2024. Buzz started to develop as December was unkind to the reigning champs. It was a month outlined by inconsistency, which in the end led to an 8-6 file.
Boston did finish on fairly a excessive word, although. They beat the breaks off of the lowly Toronto Raptors in a 54-point blowout, the place they held the guests to only 71 factors.
It was a formidable defensive efficiency, nevertheless it was one which was robust to gauge. Is it actually that spectacular to place the eight-win Raptors in jail?
Not likely.
What’s spectacular is how the Cs have set the tone in 2025. Their win over the Rockets makes them 2-0 on their present street journey within the new 12 months. This can be a stretch that many had circled earlier than the season began. It was at all times meant to be robust. Boston has performed the Minnesota Timberwolves (a Western Convention Finalist final 12 months) and now the up-and-coming Rockets.
Within the coming days, they’ll have dates with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Denver Nuggets, two of the elite groups out West.
Followers ought to really feel nice heading into these matchups due to what they only watched in Houston.
