Derrick White drilled six 3-pointers and scored 28 points as the Boston Celtics broke the game open with a dominant third quarter and cruised past the Houston Rockets 114–93 on Wednesday night.
Boston won its fourth straight despite being without Jaylen Brown, who sat out the second night of a back-to-back because of left hamstring tightness. The Celtics turned a tight game into a rout after halftime, using a barrage of 3-pointers and defensive pressure to seize control.
Houston pulled within four early in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Amen Thompson, but Boston responded with an 18–3 run to stretch the lead to 67–48 with just under seven minutes remaining. White and Baylor Scheierman each knocked down two 3s during the surge.
After a Thompson basket briefly stopped the bleeding, the Celtics ripped off another 10–1 run to go up 77–51 with four minutes left in the quarter. White fueled that stretch as well, scoring the first eight points on a pair of 3-pointers.
Tempers flared late in the third when Rockets coach Ime Udoka was ejected after receiving a double technical foul while arguing a loose-ball foul call on Reed Sheppard. Boston capitalized at the line, converting four free throws to take an 87–63 lead into the fourth quarter. The Rockets’ frustrations continued when Alperen Sengun was ejected midway through the final period after drawing two technicals for arguing a no-call.
Neemias Queta chipped in 10 points and a career-high 19 rebounds for Boston, while Luka Garza added 19 points off the bench to help close it out.
Kevin Durant led Houston with 15 points in his return after missing Monday’s game with a sprained left ankle. Sengun finished with 13 points and nine rebounds after posting a 39-point, 16-rebound performance in Monday’s win over Indiana.
Up next:
Celtics host Miami on Friday.
Rockets host Charlotte on Thursday.
