NBA Recap: Howard Dominates As Rockets Burns Celtics, 104-92
Dwight Howard recorded 32 points and 11 rebounds while Jeremy Lin and James Harden added 16 points each as the Houston Rockets blasted the Boston Celtics, 104-92, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Rockets keeps on piling up victories, as the team used its explosive inside-outside game to dismantle the Celtics and send them to the worst losing skid (nine consecutive losses) since 2007.
Terrence Jones had 12 points and 12 rebounds while Lin facilitated the offense well as he dished out nine assists to give the Rockets its 25 victories against 15 defeats in the season.
It was a team effort overall, but Howard's made free throws late in the match proved to be the difference-maker in the match. The All-Star center 10-for-18 shots from the charity stripe to put the Celtics at bay for good.
Celtics Head Coach Brad Stevens and Rockets Swingman Chandler Parsons did not forget to give some props to Howard during the post-game press conference.
"I said (on TV) just now, I would probably support a change in that, that wouldn't allow that, would call it intentional or whatever you want to call it, call it like it would be called in the last 2 minutes," Boston Coach Brad Stevens told ESPN. "To his credit, he made one almost -- maybe every time up to the foul line."
Avery Bradley led the Celtics with 24 points while recently acquired Guard Jerryd Bayless had 17 points and 4 assists, his career-highs in Celtics uniform.
ESPN Stats Info: Celtics vs. Rockets
MVP: Dwight Howard scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He was absolutely dominant against Boston's feeble frontline aside from a painful Hack-a-Howard excursion down the stretch. He crushed the Celtics on both ends of the floor.
X factor: It came in a losing effort, but Jerryd Bayless had his Celtics coming out moment in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points in a combination of pull-up jumpers and impressive drives to the basket.