Basketball: Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum lead Celtics to rout of Rockets
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Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum dunks the ball during the second half against the Houston Rockets at TD Garden.
PHOTO: REUTERS
NEW YORK – The Boston Celtics’ acting interim coach Damon Stoudamire, taking the place of Joe Mazzulla who had an eye problem on Tuesday night, had the perfect strategy – just let the team’s two big stars do their work.
Jaylen Brown scored 39 points and Jayson Tatum added 38 to become the National Basketball Association’s second 1,000-point scorer this season behind Dallas’ Luka Doncic, as the hosts coasted past the Houston Rockets 126-102.
“It’s always a little easier when you’ve got JT and JB,” Stoudamire said on ESPN after the win. “It’s not a bad start.”
According to Stathead, the duo are also the first Celtics teammates to score at least 38 points each in a game since Larry Bird (48) and Robert Parish (38) in 1985.
“You’ve just got to sit back and enjoy the show and, whenever they need you to step in, you fill that role,” Boston guard Marcus Smart, who had nine points, said.
“But they didn’t need it tonight.”
Brown scored 14 of his 39 points in the third quarter, fired up after he was knocked to the parquet by a flagrant foul.
“Sometimes you get a smack in the face, it’s exactly what you need in the middle of a game,” he said on ESPN.
“Like, ‘Jaylen, what the hell are you doing?’ Smack in the face, then proceed to score the ball.”
Boston shot 47.3 per cent for the game and was 20 of 56 (35.7 per cent) from long range, setting a franchise record for most three-point attempts in a regulation game.
Brown and Tatum each hit six triples.
Robert Williams III had 11 points and 15 rebounds while Tatum added eight rebounds and four assists in Boston’s third straight win.
The Celtics are leading the entire league on 25-10.
Jalen Green had a team-high 28 points and Kevin Porter Jr contributed 22 points and nine assists for the Rockets (10-24), who have lost six of their last seven games.
The Celtics, who led by seven at half-time, were in front 92-81 after the third quarter.
Boston crossed over the 100-point marker with a 9-3 run to begin the fourth, and had a 34-21 scoring edge in the last period.
Houston coach Stephen Silas said after the game that he was grateful that the Celtics paid tribute to his late father, Paul, who joined Boston in 1972 and helped the franchise win two NBA titles in 1974 and 1976.
Boston staff were wearing badges with Paul’s name engraved and there was also a video tribute midway through the first quarter at TD Garden.
“It was a special moment,” Silas said.
“The love they have shown with the pens and moments of silence means everything to me and my family.” REUTERS
