Game 47: Houston Rockets Vs. Boston Celtics Preview

The Houston Rockets are once again winners over the Dallas Mavericks.

A few more games of the Rockets beating them and we as fans say we officially own them this season.

But there’s still a couple of more games to go and the next match up will be Friday, Feb. 20 up at American Airlines Center in Big D.

It was impressive — although the Rockets slipped here and there, there was never a moment that I felt that the Rockets did not have control of the game.

Terrence Jones, out since the beginning of the season with a nerve injury, returned against the Mavericks and looked a lot like his old self out there.

He may not have much rust to knock off as he gets acclimated to logging NBA minutes.

He had 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks in 20 minutes of action against the Mavs.

He will be needed as Dwight Howard is expected to miss a considerable amount of time tending to inflammation in his right knee.  He has left Houston to seek an additional opinion on how best to get healed fast enough so that he can contribute as soon as possible.

Nov 1, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Boston Celtics center

(44) and Houston Rockets forward

(20) battle for a rebound during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Smith filled-in wonderfully in D12’s stead as he had 18 points, six rebounds and three blocks to his credit.

This team can and will continue to win without Howard, who will be most-needed when the playoffs start.

But now I’ve talked about that, let’s discuss the Rockets match up with the 16-28 Boston Celtics tonight.  Their last meeting was Nov. 1 where they totally manhandled them at Toyota Center 104-90.

This will also be the first game of a two-game, East Coast swing that includes a stop at Motown to take on the Detroit Pistons tomorrow night.

Here’s what the Celtics do well.

They love to have the basketball in their hands.  The Celtics are currently 3rd in the league in PACE.  They averaged about 99.0 possessions per game.

They’re efficient in finding the open man.  The Celtics are 6th in the league in assist ratio.  Nearly 18.3 percent of their possessions culminate with an assist.  This is likely the result of the handy-work of Evan Turner, who is the team leader in assists, averaging 4.4 per game.

But that doesn’t necessarily translate to the win column as the Celtics are 21st in offensive efficiency averaging only 101.4 points per 100 possessions.

Jared Sullinger currently leads the team in points (14.2 PPG) and rebounds (8.2 RPG).  Marcus Smart leads in steals at 1.10 per game.  Tyler Zeller is the lead shot-blocker averaging a paltry 0.70 BPG.

Nov 1, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Boston Celtics guard

(11) and Houston Rockets guard

(13) during the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

It will be interesting to see how Donatas Motiejunas/Jones will match up against Sullinger who has been their only semblance of an offense since the departure of Jeff Green to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Also keep your eye on Brandon Bass, who has averaged 11.2 PPG and 8.2 RPG in the last five games in the starting rotation.

Patrick Beverley/James Harden will be tasked with defending Avery Bradley and Turner, the motor to their offensive engine.  It’s important to note that Turner has been averaging 6.2 APG over the past five games in a larger role for him.

This team is a far cry from the championship Celtics team from the 2007-08 season and it’s clearly evident that they’re in rebuilding mode.  How long that takes is anyone’s guess.

After Larry Bird‘s retirement, the Celtics weren’t relevant for a little over a decade before the parts of the Big Three — Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett — were assembled.

Hopefully it doesn’t take that long for them but the Rockets should have an easy time taking this young bunch athletes to school.

I see the bench getting a lot of production as this game will likely be a wrap before the half.

We’ll see.

Three Things to Watch:

1.  D-Mo/Jones vs. Sullinger

2.  Battle of the Back court — Beverley/Harden vs. Bradley/Turner

3.  The level of bench production tonight

Prediction:

110-98 in a Rockets’ win!

The Rockets take on the Celtics tonight in Beantown at TD Garden.

Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CST.

The game will be televised on ROOT Sports Southwest and broadcast on 790 AM (KBME).

Go Rockets!