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The NBA's opening week will continue on Sunday when the Boston Celtics visit the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. The Celtics will look for their first win of the season, while the Rockets are fresh off their first victory of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Celtics welcomed the Toronto Raptors to Boston on Friday for their season opener. However, the Raptors pulled away in the second half, as the Celtics struggled to shoot the ball. Eventually, it was an embarrassing 115-83 loss for the Celtics.
Meanwhile, the Rockets defeated the Thunder 124-91 in their home opener on October 22nd. Houston came out firing in the first quarter, never letting up their intensity for the entire game. It was an impressive win for a young Rockets team that is building towards the future.
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Match Details
Fixture: Boston Celtics vs Houston Rockets | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Sunday, October 24th, 7:00 PM ET (Monday, October 25th, 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX.
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics are 0-2 for the season under new head coach Ime Udoka. The Celtics lost a heartbreaking overtime game against the New York Knicks on Opening Night. They followed that up with a lackluster performance against the Toronto Raptors at home.
Boston kept it close in the first half against the Raptors, but Toronto made several runs in the third quarter to put the game away. The Celtics were booed by their own fans as they fell 115-83. Jayson Tatum, who struggled against the Knicks, led the Celtics' effort with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Jaylen Brown, who scored a career-high 46 points against the Knicks, cooled off drastically. He finished with just nine points, and missed all of his seven tries from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Al Horford had 11 points and as many rebounds on his return to Boston.
Key Player - Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown had a career year last season, as he averaged 24.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He was also named to his first-ever All-Star game. Brown started the new season by scoring a career-high 46 points in the double-overtime loss to the New York Knicks.
However, Brown struggled with his shooting in the next game against the Toronto Raptors at home. He had just nine points, going 3-for-13 from the field, and did not make any three-point shots or assists.
If the Celtics want to get their first win of the season against the Houston Rockets, Brown will have to score more than nine points. He will also need to make plays for his teammates. Jayson Tatum is also important, but he played well in their last game.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
G - Marcus Smart; G - Jaylen Brown F - Jayson Tatum; F - Al Horford; C - Robert Williams.
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets are not expected to win a lot of games this season. They are in a transition period, with a lot of young players on the roster. Their young core of Jalen Green, Christian Wood, Alperen Sengun and Kevin Porter Jr. is one of the best in the NBA.
The Rockets showed their youth in their first game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which they lost 124-106. However, they bounced back in their next game at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Houston went on to easily beat the Thunder 124-91.
Christian Wood led the way with 29 points and 11 rebounds, while Kevin Porter Jr. added 20 points, three rebounds and nine assists. Rookie Jalen Green had just nine points, but Eric Gordon was big off the bench, scoring 22 points.
Key Player - Christian Wood
Christian Wood was an undrafted player in 2015, and he bounced around to several teams before signing with the Houston Rockets last season. In his first campaign with the Rockets, Wood had a career year despite a couple of injuries. He averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 blocks in 41 games.
Wood is now a building block for the Rockets' future, and is expected to keep improving. If he can sustain this level of play and stay away from any injuries, the Rockets will fancy their chances of competing every night.
Besides Wood, the Rockets need Kevin Porter Jr. to continue his improvement too. Rookie Jalen Green has struggled in his first two games, but he should eventually figure things out. He might even have his first big game against the Celtics on Sunday.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - Kevin Porter Jr.; G - Jalen Green; F - Jae'Sean Tate; F - Christian Wood; C - Daniel Theis.
Celtics vs Rockets Match Prediction
The Boston Celtics appear to have the better team compared to a young Houston Rockets roster. However, the Celtics are still struggling under new head coach Udoka, while the Rockets seem to be bonding and playing better each day.
If the Celtics hope to find their rhythm, it might well be against an inexperienced team like Houston. But it should be noted that Boston lost to a young Toronto Raptors at home on Friday.
Where to watch Celtics vs Rockets?
The Boston Celtics vs Houston Rockets game will be nationally televised on NBA TV. It will also be available via the NBA League Pass. Meanwhile, local fans can watch the Celtics vs Rockets matchup on AT&T SportsNet Southwest in Houston and NBC Sports Boston.
