Team	1	2	3	4	T
Houston Rockets	31	27	28	27	113
Boston Celtics	35	34	43	33	145

Team

Houston Rockets

Boston Celtics

145

Boston Celtics Showcase Dominance at Home, Looming Threat against Struggling Houston Rockets

Game time: January 13, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET

Venue: TD Garden — Boston, MA

Article updated Jan 12, 10:15 PM EST

The Houston Rockets and the Boston Celtics will face off on Saturday night in an attempt to break their respective losing streaks. The Rockets, with an 19-18 record, are

Game outlook

The Houston Rockets and the Boston Celtics will face off on Saturday night in an attempt to break their respective losing streaks. The Rockets, with an 19-18 record, are coming off a 124-119 loss to the Chicago Bulls, while the Celtics, with a 29-9 record, suffered a 135-102 defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks. Both teams have split their last 10 meetings. The game will be held at TD Garden and is scheduled to begin at 7 PM ET. As of now, the Celtics are the favored team with a -14.5 opening line, which has remained unchanged. Please note that this preview was written before Friday's game.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Rockets +775 | Celtics -1,225

Spread: Rockets +14.5 (-110) | Celtics -14.5 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 231 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Boston will win straight-up is 92%.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have had a difficult week, losing four out of their last five games. They have struggled on the road this season, only managing to win three out of 15 games. However, with their head coach facing his former team for the first time this season, they will be determined to secure a victory, which would be their second win in their last five games. Offensively, the Rockets have been averaging 112.7 points per game. In their most recent game, they scored 119 points, with a field goal percentage of 47.5% and a three-point percentage of 24.4%. Alperen Sengun led the team with 25 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Fred VanVleet contributed 20 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 18 points and 15 rebounds. Defensively, Houston has struggled, giving up an average of 110.6 points per game. In their last game, they allowed 124 points and will need to improve their defensive performance if they hope to secure a victory in the upcoming game. According to power rankings, the Rockets are currently ranked 12th. Offensively, they are ranked 24th, averaging 112.67 points per game. Their field goal percentage is 46.29% (ranked 23rd), and their free throw percentage is 77.96% (ranked 18th). They make an average of 36.48% of their three-pointers (ranked 17th). In terms of rebounds, the Rockets average 44.97 per game (ranked 7th). They also have an average of 25.06 offensive assists and 12.47 turnovers per game (ranked 24th and 8th, respectively). Defensively, Houston allows opponents to make 45.26% of their field goals (ranked 4th) and 75.05% of their free throws (ranked 3rd). They allow an average of 33.36% of three-pointers (ranked 1st) and average 43.78 defensive rebounds per game (ranked 43.78). They also have an average of 24.03 defensive assists and 12.56 turnovers per game (ranked 2nd and 22nd, respectively). Another statement night for Alpi! Watch & vote 🗳️: https://t.co/MAWRRV1o3d pic.twitter.com/7xlpmOYLt6

Boston Celtics Analysis

The Boston Celtics recently suffered a blowout loss to the Milwaukee Bucks following their victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, they have the opportunity to bounce back as they return to their home court, where they have won 18 consecutive games, to face the Houston Rockets. Offensively, the Celtics have been scoring an impressive average of 120.8 points per game. In their last outing, they scored 102 points, shooting 37.4 percent from the field and 25.7 percent from beyond the arc. Payton Pritchard led the team with 21 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Sam Hauser contributed 15 points and four rebounds, and Oshae Brissett added 13 points and two rebounds. However, their defensive performance has struggled, allowing an average of 111.6 points per game. In their previous game, they gave up a whopping 135 points and will need a substantial improvement to secure a victory. There is uncertainty regarding Al Horford's availability for this game due to illness. It is worth noting that the Boston Celtics currently hold a power ranking of 1. They are ranked #5 for offense, averaging 121.32 points per game, and #3 for defense, allowing an average of 110.97 points per game. Overall, their record stands at 29-9, with an ATS (against the spread) record of 18-18-2. When it comes to their offensive performance, the Celtics have been shooting 48.13 percent from the field, ranking them at #10 in the league. They have also been successful at the free-throw line, making 80.36 percent of their attempts, which ranks them at #8. In terms of three-point shooting, they have a 37.73 percent success rate, placing them at #9 in the NBA. Additionally, the Celtics excel in rebounding, averaging 47.57 rebounds per game, ranking them at the top spot. They also average 25.86 offensive assists and 12.54 turnovers per game, ranking #19 and #10 respectively. Defensively, the Celtics allow opponents to shoot 45.02 percent from the field, placing them at #3 in the league. They have been effective at limiting opponents' free-throw success, with a rate of 73.71 percent, making them #1 in the NBA. Their three-point defense has a success rate of KP up on that rim early 😤 pic.twitter.com/c76Itcf6vp

Boston Celtics Showcase Dominance at Home, Looming Threat against Struggling Houston Rockets

Game outlook

Betting Odds

Houston Rockets

Boston Celtics Analysis