Rockets at Celtics
THE STORY: The Boston Celtics will match a season-best five-game
winning streak if they beat the visiting Houston Rockets on Tuesday.
Boston has topped 100 points in the past three games of the four-game
run and forward Paul Pierce is playing as good as he has all season.
Pierce had a season-best 34 points in Sunday’s victory over the New York
Knicks and has scored 61 points over the last two games. Houston has
dropped three straight games and is opening a five-game road trip.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Houston (Rockets), CS New England (Celtics)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (21-17):
Houston coach Kevin McHale is coaching his third game against the
franchise he excelled for as a player. McHale went 1-1 against the
Celtics when he coached the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Rockets have
lost four straight games only once this season, with the previous time
occurring in early January. Houston’s five-game excursion includes
winnable games against the Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets and
Cleveland Cavaliers before concluding against the Oklahoma City Thunder
on March 13. The Rockets are 6-11 on the road.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (19-17):
Point guard Rajon Rondo had a historic outing against the Knicks with
18 points, a career-best 17 rebounds and 20 assists. The stellar
performance marked the first time a player had at least 17 points, 17
rebounds and 17 assists in the same game since legendary Magic Johnson
had 24 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists for the Los Angeles Lakers
during the 1988-89 campaign. Rondo has two triple-doubles in the last
three games and four overall. Rondo is averaging 14.3 points and 10.2
assists.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Houston is 8-2 in its last 10 visits to Boston.
2. Celtics forward Kevin Garnett is averaging 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds over the past five games.
3. The Rockets have been outrebounded in 10 consecutive contests, their longest stretch since the 1982-83 campaign.