One of the game's proven scorers will take on a rookie budding with potential.
Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics hope to continue their winning momentum when they host Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.
Tatum has been ripping through nets in his last three games. He scored 34 points against the Hawks, dropped 37 on the Lakers, and recently had 33 versus the Thunder. It's no coincidence that the Celtics (9-8) have elevated their play, winning seven of their last ten games.
Tatum's average of 25.5 points puts him in the top ten in scoring. After a slow start, he's found his range in the last three outings, shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
The Celtics have been formidable, thanks as well to Dennis Schroder and the rejuvenated Al Horford. Schroder fired 29 points against the Thunder, while Horford had a near triple-double of 10-11-7 against his former team.
As the Celtics gain ground in the Eastern Conference, the Rockets (1-15) have been on a downward spiral. Houston has lost 14 consecutive games, and coincidentally, began its skid with a loss to Boston in late October.
It’s hard to find bright spots in the Rockets’ season so far but they have an exciting young talent in Jalen Green. In that first matchup against the Celtics, Green had a season-high 30 points, punctuated by eight triples.
The Filipino-American rookie guard is putting up 14.5 points, second in team scoring behind Christian Wood's 16.2 average. Consistency on his shot remains a work in progress (37.9% FG) but his confidence and aggressiveness shouldn't be overlooked. He's not afraid to take shots and he doesn’t get discouraged when he misses.
The Rockets have their work cut out for them if they want to put an end to their losing streak. Not only do they have to contend with the inspired plays of Tatum, Schroder, and Horford, but also a Celtics team that’s getting closer to its full strength. Robert Williams (knee) and Jaylen Brown (hamstring) are both listed as probable versus the Rockets.
Who will drop a 30-piece? Will it be the streaking Tatum who's looking to make it four straight games with at least 30 points or will it be Green looking to rekindle the magic he had in their previous matchup? Can the Rockets finally put an end to their woes?
Catch the Rockets-Celtics match, 7:30 AM on NBA TV Philippines via the new Smart GigaPlay app or Cignal TV.
