Houston Rockets to Face Yet Another Challenge vs. Boston Celtics

The Rockets recently pulled off two impressive wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and will now face the defending champions on the road.

Jan 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) handles the ball against Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet (40) during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are in the midst of perhaps their toughest stretch of the season, and they are thriving. The start of 2025 has not been easy, but so far, the Rockets have lived up to the challenge.

It started with eight of Houston's first 10 games of 2025 being played against a playoff team or one in the hunt. The Rockets went 7-3 in that stretch, led by an incredible stretch of scoring from star guard Jalen Green. He was rewarded with the Western Conference Player of the Week, but an even bigger challenge came in the following two games.

Houston would then face the Eastern Conference's best team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in back-to-back games. Surprisingly, the Rockets won both contests in late-game thrillers, the first being because of late-game defense (and a little bit of luck with some missed Cavalier free-throws), while the young core dominated offensively in the second game.

The two wins give the Rockets a legitimate case as title contenders, seeing as how they're already 30-14 and hold the second seed in the West. However, Houston faces yet another challenge tonight against the Boston Celtics.

The defending champions are currently 32-14, holding the second seed in the East. The Celtics have shown signs of weakness but are ultimately still one of the most dominant forces in the league. To make things even harder for the Rockets, they'll face them in Boston at TD Garden.

Boston is expected to be near or at full health, with Derrick White and Al Horford currently listed as questionable for the game. Houston will face a tall task, as the Celtics are known to have any of their starters being able to tear defenses apart on any given night.

If the Rockets pull off the win, it'll be their third straight win and would even up the season series at one win a piece. The Celtics defeated Houston at the Toyota Center on Jan. 3, holding the Rockets to just 86 points while scoring 109 on the other end. This game is one in which Houston will have a major chip on its shoulder, and would further emphasize the title-contending resume.

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