BSJ Live Coverage: Celtics 109, Rockets 86 - Derrick White, championship-level defense, fuel blowout

Everything you need to know about the Celtics win over Houston, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics got big first quarters from Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard to take a seven-point lead into the second. The Rockets got hot from deep and cut it to one, but Jayson Tatum scored 10 of Boston’s next 12 points and increased the lead to nine. Derrick White and the C’s defense combined to push the lead to 15 before it settled at 10 going into the fourth. Boston whipped off an 11-0 run to start the fourth and Houston never challenged after that.

Box Score

HEADLINES

- THAT'S Celtics defense: The Celtics have now spent three games playing the kind of defense we were begging for them to play a couple of weeks ago. Once again, great activity, great help, great shifts, great communication … This is the standard to which the Celtics are held.

- Derrick White's big night: Bottle this night for White, especially his third quarter. What do you want from him? Shooting? Check. Defense? Check. Passing? Check. He finished with 23 points to lead Boston on 50% shooting from 2 and 3. He also had four rebounds, two assists, a block, and another charge drawn.

- Impressive. Most Impressive: I admit, I chalked his game up as a loss when I was looking ahead to the road trip. This was a tough back-to-back and the C’s had every reason to have a lazy night. Instead, they looked fresh and ready, playing focused basketball through most of the 48 minutes. I certainly didn't expect this performance. 

TURNING POINT 

I’m having a tough time choosing between White’s takeover stretch in the third quarter where Boston ultimately grew their lead from seven to 15 and the start of the fourth quarter. I think the tiebreaker is that Tatum was sitting to start the fourth and the Celtics still put the game away with him getting some rest. Boston just took that game over in those minutes and ended any hope of a Rockets comeback.

THINGS I LIKED

The defense: Do you sense a theme tonight? Boston held Houston to 25, 16, and 14 points in the second, third, and fourth quarters. 

Derrick White: You know why. 

Jrue Holiday: He got a week off and came back ready to go. He was huge in the first quarter, scoring 12 points to set the tone. Then he turned his attention to the defensive end and played his typical Holiday defense. 

“Jrue’s aggressiveness was great,” Joe Mazzulla said. “In order for us to be dynamic, Jrue has to be dynamic and aggressive on the offensive end. So I love that he came out the way that he did.”

Jayson Tatum: He had a couple of takeover moments and one of the best drives I’ve seen from him, but I think he was really good on the defensive ends as well. He didn’t have any blocked shots, but he had a couple of great challenges a the rim. He also led Boston with five assists. 

Payton Pritchard: He clearly wanted to stick it to fellow Portlander Ime Udoka. It’s a friendly rivalry, but those tend to be a little more intense sometimes. Pritchard showed off three-level scoring, with some crafty finishes around the rim and nice mid-range J’s to go along with his usual long-range bombing. 

Luke Kornet: He had nine points but his +23 was second only to White’s +27. That's probably because he had six offensive rebounds, many of them tap-outs that kept possessions alive in the fourth quarter. He was also part of double-big lineups that defended Alperin Sengun well. He finished with 10 rebounds overall, four assists, a steal, and a block. Oh, and a poster dunk that resulted in this photo: 

No one hangs posters anymore, but someone on the team should make this into one for him. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- Traveling calls: You won’t see five traveling calls the rest of the season, but somehow Boston traveled five times in this game? 

- Tatum’s shot to end the third quarter: He turned the corner on Steven Adams twice. Tatum got too caught up in the clock and matchup and made a poor choice. With three seconds on the clock, he had time to attack and make one pass. 

He easily would have drawn two, maybe three Rockets. Holiday would have been open in the dunker spot and both Pritchard and Sam Hauser would have been open for 3. 

Does this play matter in this game? No. Will it matter in others, given how often Tatum is attacking opposing bigs? Yup. Gotta get this right. 

HIGHLIGHTS

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- Derrick White is back.

After playing well in Minnesota, White said he felt like he hasn’t been playing well recently. 

“Yeah, I’d agree with him,” said Mazzulla. 

It was a quote that slipped by because he dropped it as the reporter was continuing the question, but I was actually surprised Mazzulla blurted that out. Neither of them was wrong, though. 

I saw White at a practice a few weeks ago looking frustrated with some misses, which is not like him. He’s generally a happy guy who enjoys his workouts even when some things aren’t going well. Since then, it felt like his frustration with misses and miscues was out of whack. 

I don’t know what caused that and I don’t know what got him out of it, but the DWhite we all know has reemerged.

I don’t think it’s a surprise that his return to normal is part of Boston’s return, too. The Celtics are a completely different team when White and Holiday are at their best. I talk a lot about balance, and having them, especially White, balancing the floor and taking pressure off the rest of the Celtics on the defensive end, is a big part of why the Celtics look like their championship selves again. 

Next up: The Celtics visit OKC for a Sunday matinee at 3:30