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Red-hot Rockets host Celtics Monday night
By: Staff Writer - StatFox
Published: 12/4/2016  at  11:08:00 PM
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BOSTON CELTICS (12-8)

at HOUSTON ROCKETS (13-7)

Tip-off: Monday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Line: Houston -4.5, Total: 217.0

Both the Celtics and Rockets will be looking for their third straight victories when the teams meet in Houston on Monday night.

Boston is playing well heading into Monday night’s contest, as the team has now won two straight games and nine of its past 13 as well. The Celtics most recently faced the Sixers in Philadelphia, and they emerged with a 107-106 victory as 9.5-point favorites. Boston has now scored over 100 points in five of its past six, and they’ll need to be ready to score on Monday. They’re going up against the Rockets, who just might be the best offensive team in the NBA. Houston has won-and-covered in two straight games, and one of those victories was as an 11.5-point road underdog in Golden State. The Rockets and Celtics last faced one another on Mar. 11 and Houston won that game 102-98 as a 4.5-point road underdog. The road team has won-and-covered in the past three games played between these teams, but the Rockets are 3-1 SU (2-2 ATS) in this head-to-head series in the last four meetings. One trend worth pointing out for Boston is that the team is 25-8 ATS in road games versus teams scoring 103 points per game or more under head coach Brad Stevens. The Rockets, meanwhile, are an impressive 10-1 ATS after allowing 105 points or more this season.

The Celtics have won two straight games and their backcourt has been playing some excellent basketball lately. PG Isaiah Thomas (26.3 PPG, 6.3 APG, 2.7 RPG) is the team’s superstar, and he has really put the Celtics on his back this past week. Thomas had 37 points and seven assists in the win over Philly last game, and he is averaging 26.6 PPG over the past five contests. He should be in for a huge game against the Rockets, as well. The up-tempo style that Houston runs really plays into what Thomas does well. He’ll get up and down the floor in a hurry, and he’ll do everything he can to score the basketball. Thomas’ backcourt mate, SG Avery Bradley (17.7 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.1 SPG), has also performed like an All-Star this season. Over the past two games, Bradley is averaging 17.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 1.5 SPG. Bradley defends the shooting guard position as well as anybody in the league, so he’ll do his best to slow down Harden in this one. The x-factor for Boston will, however, be C Al Horford (14.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.7 BPG). Horford has been very unselfish with Boston thus far, but the team will need him to be more aggressive as a scorer in this game. If he can stretch the floor then the lanes to the rim will be wide open for guys like Thomas.

The Rockets have had one of the league’s most potent offenses this season, as they are third in the league in offensive efficiency (114 points per 100 possessions). This team pushes the ball and head coach Mike D’Antoni’s system allows SG James Harden (28.3 PPG, 11.8 APG, 7.6 RPG, 1.1 SPG) to make play after play. Harden has been unstoppable scoring the basketball this season, but he is also leading the league in assists per game. He still creatively finds ways to get his shot off, and he’ll attack the rim plenty on Monday. As is always the case with Harden, when he isn’t making shots he’s finding ways to get to the free throw line. Harden is attempting 10.4 free throws per game and knocking down 83.1% of those attempts. As for the guys that’ll be helping him in this one, that would be both SG Eric Gordon (16.5 PPG) and PF Ryan Anderson (13.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG). Both guys can really shoot the ball, as Gordon is knocking down 39.6% of his threes and Anderson is hitting 42.9% of them. They’ll both get a ton of open looks in this game, but Anderson’s play will be crucial. The Celtics are weakest at the power forward spot, so Anderson will have an advantage all night.


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