After playing arguably the best team in the NBA-the Nets (26-13)-on Thursday in their first game back from the All-Star break, the Celtics (20-18 overall, 8-13 away) traveled to Texas to take on maybe the worst team in the league-the Rockets (11-26 overall, 5-11 home)-tonight at the Toyota Center. Houston definitely played their part to the best of their ability (openly tanking) as they got embarrassed this evening by Boston, 134-107, for their 16th straight loss. I don't think that the C's can draw too much from their scheduled blowout victory against a truly awful opponent but hey, at least they are now 5-1 in their last six games.
The Celts obviously were led by shooting guard Jaylen Brown's team-high 24 points and swingman Jayson Tatum added 21 points, six rebounds and six assists. Boston's lead grew to as much as 36 points and all 10 (!) of the Celtics that came off of the bench scored except for shooting guard Javonte Green. Point guard Kemba Walker notched 16 points, six rebounds and five assists while power forward Tristan Thompson pulled down 13 rebounds in only 18 minutes. Center Robert Williams (16 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks) was a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor in 19 minutes which seems notable even if they were all dunks or easy plays around the rim. A loss to this team that is clearly doing everything in its power to lose would have been a complete disaster so I guess we have to be thankful that the C's have at least a glimmer of professionalism left in their bodies.
Boston led 38-34 after the first quarter and 66-53 at halftime. They doubled up Houston (outscoring them 38-19) in the third quarter which set the scene for Boston's bench to play almost the entire fourth quarter when the Rockets scored five more points than them (35-30) in the final frame. Rockets shooting guard Victor Oladipo (game-high 26 points, 6 rebounds) must be having the time of his life while he wastes away on this garbage club. He has to be envious of James Harden for leaving when he did and joining a true NBA title contender (if only they can get everyone healthy at the same time).
Up next for the Green on Tuesday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston), they host the Jazz (28-10 overall, 12-8 road) at the TD Garden-who still own the best record in the NBA. Needless to say, that contest should be way more similar to the Brooklyn game from last week and nothing like today's joke of a "game." If nothing else, at least it should be entertaining unlike tonight's mostly unwatchable product if you enjoy competition and whatnot. In their other meeting this season-Boston's last game of that five-game West Coast road trip in early February ended with a 122-108 loss in Salt Lake City against Utah.
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