Rockets Collapse at Home as Shorthanded Celtics Stun Houston
On paper, this was supposed to be a layup for the Houston Rockets.
The Boston Celtics rolled into town on the second night of a back-to-back, missing three key rotation players - Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Sam Hauser. Joe Mazzulla had to dig deep into his bench, starting Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, and Ron Harper Jr., a trio with just 13 combined NBA starts. And yet, it was the Celtics who looked like the fresher, sharper, and far more prepared team.
The Rockets, who came in riding high with wins in eight of their last 10 and boasting a dominant 17-4 home record, were 7.5-point favorites. But instead of taking care of business, they were run off their own floor in a stunning 114-93 loss.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a bad night. This was a full-on collapse.
From the opening tip, Houston lacked energy, focus, and any semblance of execution. They scored just 17 points in the first quarter and never found a rhythm.
Boston’s defense - aggressive, physical, and unrelenting - completely disrupted the Rockets’ flow. By the end of the third quarter, Houston had just 63 points and trailed by 20.
That’s when head coach Ime Udoka, visibly frustrated, was ejected. The former Celtics coach, who led Boston to the 2022 NBA Finals, watched his team unravel without showing much resistance. After the game, Udoka didn’t sugarcoat it.
“Overall, as a coaching staff, we should be embarrassed. As the players on the floor, they should be embarrassed,” he said postgame. He pointed to a lack of toughness and attention to detail right from the start - and he wasn’t wrong.
The Celtics dominated the glass, outrebounding Houston 57-38. That stat alone tells you a lot about the effort level. Boston played with urgency and grit, while the Rockets looked like they expected the win to come to them.
Houston trailed by just seven at halftime, but the third quarter was a disaster. The Celtics poured in 36 points to Houston’s 21, effectively putting the game out of reach. Udoka’s ejection was symbolic - a coach watching his team fold and unable to stop the bleeding.
Alperen Sengun followed suit in the fourth, getting tossed as well. By then, the game was long over, and the Rockets had squandered a golden opportunity to bank a win against a severely undermanned opponent.
This wasn’t just a loss. It was a wake-up call.
The Rockets will have a quick turnaround with a home game Thursday night against the Charlotte Hornets - a chance to regroup and respond. Meanwhile, the Celtics, even without their stars, extended their winning streak to four and will head back to Boston with serious momentum heading into Friday’s matchup with the Miami Heat.
For Houston, the message is clear: nothing is guaranteed in this league - especially when you don’t show up ready to play.