Amen Thompson has a night to remember as Houston Rockets sneak by Boston Celtics in NBA

BOSTON – Amen Thompson said he felt like Kobe Bryant after making a game-winning floater with 1.3 seconds remaining to polish off a career night, lifting the visiting Houston Rockets to a 114-112 victory over the short-handed Boston Celtics on Jan 27.

In reference to the late National Basketball Association great who was feted for clutch match-winning plays, the 21-year-old said: “That was my first game-winner. I feel like Kobe...

“We feel like we can beat anybody, and this road trip is really proving that. We don’t like to lose at home, especially to the Celtics (in reference to their loss on Jan 3).”

The bucket in the lane gave Thompson a career-high 33 points at TD Garden. He also finished with nine rebounds and four assists to help Houston get a win in coach Ime Udoka’s return to Boston, where he was at the helm during the 2021-22 season.

Said Udoka: “Playing some of the top teams obviously gives us some confidence.”

Payton Pritchard had one last chance to win the game for the Celtics, but his full-court heave at the buzzer only found the top of the backboard.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla took the blame, saying: “I didn’t put us in the best matchups. I saw the play that they were trying to run, and I tried to change the matchups and I put our guys in a tough spot.

“That’s a tough one because I thought our guys did everything to... put us in position to win it and I didn’t help them at the end. So, both those plays, 100 per cent on me.”

Dillon Brooks drilled a career-high 10 three-pointers en route to a game-high 36 points for the Rockets, who won despite trailing by 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Said Brooks: “We’re just playing hard, playing together. We have trust in one another.”

Jalen Green added 12 points for the Rockets (31-14), and Alperen Sengun finished with 11 points, nine assists and nine rebounds.

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 28 points. The Celtics (32-15) received 19 points from Jayson Tatum, who did all of his scoring in the second half.

Luke Kornet finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, Kristaps Porzingis put up 17 points and eight boards and Pritchard made five threes for 15 points.

Tatum, who entered the contest averaging a team-high 27.1 points per game, was zero-for-5 from the field in the first two quarters. He tied the game at 112 by sinking a lay-up with 5.3 seconds left before Thompson’s heroics.

The Celtics played without two of their top three-point shooters, as Derrick White (shin bruise) and Sam Hauser (hip pain) were both ruled out with injuries. In addition, Al Horford (toe) was dropped minutes before the opening tip.

Houston used a 14-0 run to take a 29-22 lead with 1:15 remaining in the opening quarter and had a 31-27 edge after 12 minutes of play.

The Rockets extended their lead to 50-39 on a Fred VanVleet three with 4:12 left in the first half, but Boston were within two points, 54-52, at intermission.

Boston went up 87-85 after Tatum made three free throws with 38.8 seconds left in the third quarter and had an 89-85 lead entering the fourth.

The Celtics’ advantage swelled to 12 points with 8:38 to play, but Houston scored the next 13 to take the lead with 5:23 left.

Over at Footprint Centre, Devin Booker put up 26 points as the Phoenix Suns held off a late charge by the Los Angeles Clippers for a 111-109 home win.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard each hit the 30-point mark in the same game for the sixth time this season, as the Milwaukee Bucks routed the Utah Jazz 125-110 at Delta Centre.

Meanwhile, Anthony Davis set season highs with 42 points and 23 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Charlotte Hornets 112-107 at Spectrum Centre.

At Texas’ American Airlines Centre, Klay Thompson drained seven threes in the first quarter on the way to a game-high 23 points, as the Dallas Mavericks handed the visiting Washington Wizards a 14th straight loss with a 130-108 blowout. REUTERS