In a surprising turn of events, the Boston Celtics fell to the Houston Rockets 114-112 on Monday night, as Dillon Brooks lit up the court with a career-high 10 triples. The unexpected offensive explosion from Brooks shocked the Celtics, leaving stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to acknowledge the improbable performance.
It was the latest frustrating moment for Boston, which has lost two of its last three games.
The Celtics, near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, have faced challenges this season despite their star-studded roster. Monday’s narrow defeat to the Rockets highlighted their struggles to close out games against competitive teams.
Tatum and Brown combined for 47 points, but their efforts were overshadowed by Brooks, who shot an astonishing 10-of-15 from beyond the arc, sealing Houston’s upset victory.
Postgame, the Celtics stars didn’t shy away from addressing Brooks’ uncharacteristic shooting performance.
“Nobody would’ve expected Dillon Brooks to hit 10 threes,” Brown said during the postgame press conference, as reported by Daniel Donabedian of ClutchPoints. “It happened tonight. So, I think you live with it.”
Jaylen Brown was asked by @JackSimoneNBA about the non-star players who’ve gone off against the Celtics and when you should and shouldn’t live with the results:
“Nobody would’ve expected Dillon Brooks to hit 10 threes. It happened tonight. So, I think you live with it.” pic.twitter.com/je83u4fn8v
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) January 28, 2025
Tatum echoed his teammate’s sentiment, admitting, “We didn’t account for that.”
The duo’s candid remarks underscored their shock at Brooks’ shooting clinic, which came from a player known more for his defense than his 3-point range.
The loss serves as a wake-up call for Boston, emphasizing the importance of preparing for all scenarios in a league where any player can shine on any given night. With title aspirations still intact, the Celtics will need to address their defensive lapses and regroup quickly.
