Rockets defeat Celtics 109-93 as Tatum shoots 5-for-16

The Houston Rockets defeated the Boston Celtics 109 to 93 at Toyota Center on Sunday. The victory ended Boston's five-game winning streak. The Celtics played their third game in four nights during this back-to-back schedule.

Alperen Sengun led Houston with 26 points on 12-of-15 shooting. He also recorded 10 assists and 7 rebounds. Sengun used footwork to score repeatedly at the rim against Boston's defense. Jabari Smith added 14 points for Houston, including key three-pointers that extended the lead late in the game.

Jayson Tatum struggled offensively against Houston's physical defense. He finished with 19 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Tatum described it as his toughest game since the season opener in Detroit. He was placed in foul trouble late in the third quarter, which limited his playing time.

The Celtics' perimeter shooting was inconsistent throughout the night. Tatum, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchard combined for 2-of-22 from three-point range. Pritchard missed all seven of his shot attempts. Tatum told reporters that the team needs to shake off the bad shooting night because 82 games is a long season.

Coach Joe Mazzulla made a defensive adjustment in the third quarter. He inserted Mitchell Robinson to start at center in place of Hugo Gonzalez. This created a two-center lineup that allowed Neemias Queta to score at the rim. Queta scored the Celtics' first seven points of that period, including a corner three-pointer.

The Celtics could not maintain that momentum. Houston pushed the ball quickly and caught Boston's defense out of position. The Rockets shot 54 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range. Marcus Smart, who was 1-for-18 in his career against Boston prior to this game, hit two three-pointers to seal the win. He finished with 8 points in 20 minutes.

Boston did not record a field goal in the final 6 minutes and 17 seconds of the third quarter. The team relied on free throws during that stretch. Tatum said the team had moments where they cut the lead to six or seven points but could not secure rebounds. He noted that Houston hit three-pointers in those critical moments.