Rockets crush Celtics, 109-85

Updated, 10:40 p.m., 11/19/2013 --

Posted: November 19, 2013 -- 10:14 pm CST.

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- The Houston Rockets raced to a 9-1 lead Tuesday night and never looked back. The Rockets crushed the Boston Celtics 109-85.

The Rockets shot a volcanic 80% (16 for 20) from the floor in the first quarter and led 40-18 at the end of the quarter. They cooled off slightly in the second quarter (62.5%) - 10 for 16 field goals.

26 for 36 in the first half. 72.2%.

Meanwhile, the Celtics missed their first nine field goals and made just 17 of 52 shot attempts in the opening half.

The Rockets (8-4) led the Celtics (4-8) by as much as 35 points (88-53) in the game.

Terrence Jones scored a career-high 24 points and added nine boards and two blocked shots.

"I tried to play through the flow of the game," Jones said. "My teammates got me a lot of easy shots through cuts; offensive rebounds; and running hard. I think we started off really in the first quarter."

The Rockets blocked 10 shots in the game -- seven in the first quarter. Chandler Parsons began the block party 30 seconds into the game. Then, Dwight Howard blocked three shots in a two minute span.

With every blocked shot and / or defensive rebound, the Rockets raced up the court and scored 22 fastbreak points in the first quarter.

"I think T.J. (Terrence Jones) and Dwight were really running tonight," said Kevin McHale after the game. "They got down and collapsed the defense early. They opened up lanes for other people to drive."

"Terrence has done a lot of good things for us," said McHale. "He's just going to get better. He's a nice kid; he's a nice young man. He's a good basketball player. He's just going to continue to improve."

After the game, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said, "I really don't have many thoughts on the game. I don't have anything I'm excited about from today's game. I want to make sure we don't play like that again; so, I never look at is as it was just one of those things because there is something behind when you don't play the way you're supposed to."

Stevens did like the way the Rockets played.

"They played really inspired and really well tonight," said Stevens. "I was very impressed. Terrence Jones was terrific at the four spot; and, if you come into a game and you think about who all they have on their roster; and, you think about that kind of production at the four and the one. They are going to be a hard team to beat.

"I like the way they played. I think (Patrick) Beverley gives them a nice defensive balance and a toughness and assertiveness on the ball and (Chandler) Parsons is a very savvy, good basketball player.

"That's just a good team."

The Rockets head up I-45 for a Wednesday night match-up with the Dallas Mavericks. Tip is set for 8:30 pm.

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