Photo Credit: Getty Images
Amen Thompson (21) drove for the game-winner with 1.3 seconds left to lift the Houston Rockets to a gritty 114-112 victory over the NBA champion Boston Celtics on Monday. After two victories over Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland last week, the Rockets held on to topple another Eastern power, surrendering an early 11-point advantage but clawing back after the Celtics took a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
Dillon Brooks (29) scored 36 points and Thompson added a career-high 33 points with 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and a key late block for the Rockets. A three-pointer from Brooks ignited a 13-0 Rockets run capped by two baskets from Thompson that put Houston up 102-101. Jaylen Brown (28) scored 28 points to lead the Celtics.
Jayson Tatum (26) scored all 19 of his in the second half but his late surge couldn't get Boston over the hump. After four more lead changes, the Celtics had tied it 112-112 on Tatum's layup with 5.3 seconds left. But Thompson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, got loose on an inbounds play and drove for the game-winner. "That felt great," Thompson said. "That's my first game-winner. I feel like Kobe (Bryant)!" Elsewhere the Cavaliers snapped their first three-game losing streak of the season with a 110-91 home victory over Detroit while the Los Angeles Lakers - fueled by a monster game from Anthony Davis (31) - notched a fourth straight victory 112-107 over the Charlotte Hornets.
Davis scored 42 points and pulled down 23 rebounds and the Lakers led by as many as 23 points on the way to victory. Davis set the tone early, scoring 21 points with 11 rebounds in the first quarter alone, when he connected on nine of his 12 attempts from the field. "Teammates did their job setting me up," Davis said. "It's the entire team, not just me I think. It's the way we've been playing, moving the basketball, playing for each other, not caring who scores as long as we score - things have just been able to open up for me."
LeBron James (40) added 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and Austin Reaves (26) chipped in 17 points for the Lakers. Miles Bridges (26) scored 26 points to pace the Hornets, but Charlotte saw star guard LaMelo Ball (23) exit in the first half with an ankle injury.
