The Boston Celtics couldn’t hold off the Houston Rockets, falling 114-112 at TD Garden in a thrilling finish. Amen Thompson sealed the win with a game-winning shot with just 0.7 seconds left, capping off an incredible performance. Alongside Thompson’s heroics, Dillon Brooks delivered a career night, leading the Rockets to victory and taking a subtle jab at Kristaps Porzingis in the postgame comments.
Brooks was the game’s leading scorer, posting a season-high 36 points while setting a career-high with 10 made three-pointers on 15 attempts. Thompson was equally impactful, finishing with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, including the clutch shot that secured Houston’s win.
After the game, Brooks didn’t hold back when asked about Porzingis, offering a pointed remark about the Celtics’ star big man. “I like playing against bigs that are slow,” Brooks said, per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Brooks’ comments came after a standout individual performance, with Porzingis often assigned to guard him throughout the night.
Mazzulla takes responsibility for defensive struggles
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla came under fire for his defensive matchups, which saw Jrue Holiday tasked with defending Alperen Sengun while Porzingis was frequently matched up against Brooks. Mazzulla acknowledged his mistakes after the game.
Kristaps Porzingis #8 of the Boston Celtics reacts against Dillon Brooks #9 of the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
“Those were my fault,” Mazzulla said. “It didn’t put us in the best matchups. I saw the play that they were trying to run. I tried to change the matchups”. Despite the adjustments, the Rockets exploited the mismatches, leaving the Celtics struggling to contain Houston’s dynamic offense.
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Tatum and Brown react to Brooks’ career night
Brooks’ incredible shooting performance didn’t just surprise the Rockets—it caught the attention of Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as well. “Nobody would’ve expected Dillon Brooks to hit 10 threes,” Brown said after the game. “So, I think you live with it. … Credit to Houston: The people we wanted to make beat us, beat us tonight”.
Tatum echoed Brown’s sentiments, adding: “Congratulations to them. Dillon Brooks had 10 three-pointers, a franchise record. We didn’t expect that to happen. You want to adjust and try to make things tough on them, but I don’t know. He hit 10 3s tonight”.
Amen Thompson shines with game-winner
Thompson, emerging as one of the Rockets’ standout players this season, sealed the victory with the first game-winning shot of his career. Reflecting on the moment, Thompson likened himself to an NBA legend. “It’s my first game-winner. I feel like Kobe,” Thompson said in his post-game interview.