Houston, We Have a Problem; Celtics Fall Again

By John in Celtics, Featured, Top Story ⋅ March 19, 2011 at 10:39am ⋅ Post a comment

Kevin Garnett #5 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball over Patrick Patterson #54 and Courtney Lee #5 of the Houston Rockets on March 18, 2011 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)

Chicago lost in Indiana, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but the Celtics still lost to the Houston Rockets, 93-77. Within minutes, Houston vaulted themselves to an 8-1 lead. An 8-0 run put Boston up 9-8, their biggest lead of the game, which they equaled at 15-14, 17-16, 19-18 and 21-20 later on. By this point, there was 1:12 left in the 1st quarter. Some good threes put Houston up 28-22 at the quarter’s end.

The next quarter belonged completely to the Rockets. They took their first double digit lead, 36-26, after old nemesis Brad Miller, a center, hit a three. An even 2:00 without a field goal didn’t help Boston, but that was in the middle of Houston’s own such streak of 2:36. Another 2:39 streak for Boston allowed Houston to pad their lead from the free throw line. Aside from a flagrant foul (flagrant one) on Delonte West and technical foul on Glen Davis (following a double technical on Kevin Garnett and Chuck Hayes), the Rockets hit four other free throws and a field goal in between Boston points. Another three from Houston gave the Rockets a 62-40 at the half.

The 3rd quarter featured more back-and-forth action, but Boston needed to do a lot more than that to initiate a comeback. A 4:03 streak without a field goal (including 3:12 without points) allowed Houston to pad their lead, and another 3:42 without a field goal (and points) allowed Houston to jump out to a 29-point lead, 81-52, their biggest of the game. Houston led 81-56 at the end of the quarter, which probably prompted many Celtics fans to leave early to beat the traffic.

The Celtics put up a pretty good performance in the 4th, but it was by far too little too late. 2:40 without any Rockets points only allowed Boston to cut the deficit to 18. Houston put it right back to 22, and 23 a moment later. Boston could only inch closer, never getting closer than the 16-point deficit that ended the game.

C’s Stud of the Game: Glen Davis

Not that anyone was especially exciting, but Davis led the team in rebounds (seven), and was one away (16) from leading them in scoring (17) as well.

C’s Dud of the Game: Delonte West

In 22:00, West was 0/3 from the field (0/1 from beyond the arc), and only managed four assists and a steal, not something the Celtics want to see from a player from whom they would like production.

Game Notes:

Scoring Leaders: Kevin Martin (HOU 25), Kyle Lowry (HOU 20), Patrick Patterson (HOU 18)
Field Goal Leaders: Patrick Patterson (HOU 8/12), Jeff Green (BOS 7/10), Kyle Lowry (HOU 7/15)
Three Point Leaders: Kyle Lowry (HOU 4/7), Kevin Martin (HOU 2/7), three others with one
Free Throw Leaders: Kevin Martin (HOU 11/12), Paul Pierce (BOS 6/6), Glen Davis (BOS 4/9)
Rebound Leaders: Patrick Patterson (HOU 12), Chuck Hayes (HOU 11), Jordan Hill (HOU 9)
Assist Leaders: Kyle Lowry (HOU 9), Rajon Rondo (BOS 6), Delonte West (BOS 4)
Steal Leaders: Five with two
Block Leaders: Patrick Patterson (HOU 4), Kevin Garnett (BOS 2), Jeff Green (BOS 2)
Foul-outs: none
Technical Fouls: Chuck Hayes (HOU, 2:49 left in 2nd), Kevin Garnett (BOS, 2:49 left in 2nd), Glen Davis (BOS, 2:45 left in 2nd), Delonte West (BOS, flagrant 1, 1:42 left in 2nd)
Turnovers: HOU 16, BOS 13