Amen Thompson delivered a game-winning floater with 1.3 seconds left, capping off a career-best performance and lifting the Houston Rockets to a 114-112 win over the short-handed Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Monday night.
Thompson notched a career-high 33 points, along with 10 rebounds and four assists, leading Houston to victory in coach Ime Udoka’s return to Boston, where he previously coached during the 2021-22 season.
Boston’s Payton Pritchard attempted a full-court heave at the buzzer, but the shot hit the top of the backboard, sealing the Rockets’ comeback win.
Houston’s Standout Performers
Dillon Brooks hit a career-high 10 three-pointers and scored a game-high 36 points, helping the Rockets erase a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Jalen Green contributed 12 points, while Alperen Sengun added 11 points to the effort.
Celtics’ Struggles
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 28 points, while Jayson Tatum added 19—all in the second half. Luke Kornet chipped in 18 points and seven rebounds, and Pritchard hit five three-pointers en route to 15 points.
Tatum, averaging a team-high 27.1 points per game this season, struggled early, going 0-for-5 from the field in the first half. He tied the game at 112 with 5.3 seconds left, setting up Thompson’s decisive basket.
Short-Handed Celtics
Boston was without key contributors Derrick White (shin contusion), Sam Hauser (hip impingement), and Al Horford (toe), who was a late scratch before tip-off.
Game Recap
The Rockets used a 14-0 run in the first quarter to take a 29-22 lead and finished the opening period ahead 31-27. Houston extended its lead to 50-39 on a Fred VanVleet three-pointer, but Boston closed the gap to 54-52 by halftime.
Boston took control late in the third quarter, leading 89-85 heading into the fourth. The Celtics built a 12-point lead with 8:38 left, but Houston roared back with a 13-0 run to regain the lead with 5:23 remaining.
Thompson’s last-second heroics secured the victory, marking a memorable night for the young Rockets star.