November 2, 2026 | Ethical Sports Takes
The Houston Rockets are making a compelling early case as the team to beat in the Western Conference.
Houston defeated the Boston Celtics 109–93 on Monday night, improving to 7–1 behind another outstanding performance from Alperen Şengün.
The Rockets center finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists on 12-of-15 shooting, leading a balanced Houston attack that produced 34 assists.
Boston briefly threatened to overturn Houston’s halftime advantage during the third quarter, but the Rockets answered and ultimately pulled away for a convincing victory.
First Quarter: Boston Responds to Houston’s Early Offense
Kevin Durant opened the scoring with a turnaround fadeaway jumper assisted by Şengün, setting the tone for Houston’s offensive approach.
The Celtics stayed competitive throughout the opening period, and Luka Garza provided an important spark off the bench.
With 57 seconds remaining, Garza knocked down a three-pointer off a Payton Pritchard assist to cut Houston’s lead to 25–24.
Şengün answered with a jumper, but Garza struck again from beyond the arc with 30 seconds remaining, tying the game at 27.
Marcus Smart then converted two free throws to restore Houston’s advantage.
However, Jayson Tatum drew a foul with just one second remaining and made both free throws, sending the teams into the second quarter tied.
End of First Quarter: Celtics 29, Rockets 29
Second Quarter: Houston’s Defense Creates Separation
Houston began the second quarter with a Jabari Smith Jr. hook shot and a Şengün layup, taking a 33–29 lead.
Mike Conley answered with a three-pointer, but the Rockets continued building their advantage.
Şengün found Smith for a three-pointer before finishing a dunk off a Marcus Smart assist, pushing Houston ahead 38–32.
Boston remained within reach when Garza connected from deep to make it 38–35, but Houston began creating separation through its defense and transition offense.
Amen Thompson scored a floater, while Tari Eason contributed a three-pointer as the Rockets extended their lead to 45–37.
The decisive sequence came late in the quarter.
Thompson intercepted a Baylor Scheierman pass and raced downcourt for a dunk, extending Houston’s advantage to 47–40.
On Boston’s next possession, Durant blocked Tatum’s step-back three-point attempt. Eason collected the rebound and finished a layup at the other end, forcing Boston to call timeout with Houston ahead 49–40.
The Rockets continued attacking, with Thompson assisting Oscar Tshiebwe on a layup before Şengün found Durant cutting toward the basket for a dunk.
Houston eventually built an 11-point advantage, although Tatum connected on a pull-up three with 32 seconds remaining to trim the deficit.
Halftime: Rockets 57, Celtics 50
Third Quarter: Boston Cuts It to One, Houston Responds
Fred VanVleet opened the second half with a three-pointer, extending Houston’s lead to 60–50.
Boston immediately fought back.
Neemias Queta knocked down a three-pointer, followed by a tip-in after an offensive rebound. Şengün answered with a three, but Queta scored another putback to keep the Celtics close.
Baylor Scheierman then connected from beyond the arc off a Tatum assist, bringing Boston within three at 63–60.
The Celtics continued applying pressure, and Tatum found Mitchell Robinson for an alley-oop dunk with 8:44 remaining.
Suddenly, Houston’s lead was down to a single point, 63–62.
The Rockets called timeout.
Houston responded through its offensive execution. Şengün assisted a VanVleet jumper, and Smith connected on a three-pointer off another VanVleet pass to restore a six-point advantage.
Şengün later finished a driving dunk, while Tatum kept Boston competitive with free throws and a turnaround fadeaway.
With Houston leading 72–68, Şengün blocked a Hugo González layup attempt. VanVleet collected the ball and found Smith for another three-pointer, extending the lead to seven.
Boston continued struggling to capitalize on its opportunities, while Houston added points through Şengün, Eason and Durant.
A Durant-assisted reverse layup from Eason and two Durant free throws helped Houston maintain control late in the period.
End of Third Quarter: Rockets 82, Celtics 73
Fourth Quarter: Houston Finishes the Job
Boston entered the fourth quarter trailing by nine and needing a sustained offensive push.
Instead, Houston continued controlling the game.
The Rockets outscored Boston 27–20 in the final period, extending their advantage to 16 by the final buzzer.
Boston’s perimeter struggles proved particularly damaging. The Celtics finished just 12-of-42 from three-point range, compared with Houston’s 14-of-35.
The Rockets also dominated transition scoring, outscoring Boston 18–2 on fast breaks.
Houston’s advantage in ball movement was equally striking, recording 34 assists compared with Boston’s 20.
The Celtics never produced enough fourth-quarter offense to overcome the deficit.
Final: Rockets 109, Celtics 93
Şengün Leads Houston’s Balanced Attack
Şengün delivered the game’s standout performance with 26 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists.
Smith contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 4-of-5 from three-point range.
Thompson added 14 points, Eason supplied 13 off the bench, and Durant finished with 12 points on efficient 5-of-6 shooting.
For Boston, Tatum recorded 19 points, six rebounds and nine assists but struggled from the field, shooting 5-of-16.
Queta contributed 16 points, while Garza provided 14 off the bench.
EST Takeaway: Houston’s Depth Is Becoming a Serious Problem for Opponents
Houston’s greatest strength might be that it doesn’t need Durant to dominate the scoring column to win comfortably.
Şengün can run the offense through the center position, Smith provides perimeter shooting, Thompson creates transition opportunities, and the Rockets possess enough depth to punish defensive mistakes.
The third quarter demonstrated another important quality.
When Boston cut the deficit to one, Houston didn’t panic. The Rockets responded through VanVleet’s playmaking, Smith’s shooting and Şengün’s all-around contributions.
That is the kind of composure championship contenders need.
At 7–1, Houston looks increasingly formidable.
With Philadelphia also sitting at 7–1, the prospect of a Rockets–76ers NBA Finals featuring another LeBron James–Kevin Durant championship showdown is an exciting possibility.
There is still an entire season ahead, but Houston is giving the rest of the league plenty to think about.
The Rockets are not simply winning games. They’re demonstrating why they belong in the championship conversation.
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