2nd-half collapse dooms Rockets in loss to Celtics

Posted: November 16, 2015 -- 11:35 pm.

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- The Houston Rockets continued the 2015-'16 mystery tour with a mind-rattling 111-95 loss to the Boston Celtics Monday night.

The Rockets lost the first three games of the season; won 4 straight; and now have lost 4 in a row.

The Rockets led by 15 points (42-27) at the 9:02 mark of the 2nd quarter and by 13 points (53-40) with 3:19 left in the first half; however, thanks to four turnovers in the final 2:41, the Celtics finished the half with a 15-2 run to tie the game at 55 at halftime. (The run was 15-0; but, Trevor Ariza scored a reverse lay-up for the Rockets to beat the halftime buzzer.)

"We had a 15 point lead and lost that," Kevin McHale lamented. "We had turnover after turnover after turnover -- not hitting the open man."

The teams struggled to make shots early in the third quarter; but, with a 60-59 lead, the Rockets began throwing the ball away and missing shots which led to a 28-8 Celtics' run the final 8 minutes of the period and an 87-68 deficit for the Rockets after 36 minutes.

"Then, in the third quarter, neither team could make a shot for a while. Just kind of a muddy game," McHale added. "We stayed in the mud; then, they made some shots and just ran us out."

The Rockets continued fumbling the ball away in the fourth quarter which the Celtics converted into more points to stretch their lead to 29 points (103-74) with 7:16 remaining in the game.

The Rockets (4-7) have now allowed at least 105 points in all 11 regular season games.

James Harden finished the game 4 for 10 from the field, plus 4 turnovers, and a minus 27 +/- rating in 29 minutes and 41 seconds.

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