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Rockets start hot, rout Celtics

Nov 20, 2013 - 4:09 AM Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Terrence Jones scored a career-high 24 points, including six during an 18-1 run to open the game, and the Houston Rockets shot almost 57 percent in a 109-85 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.

The outcome was never in doubt after Houston's game-opening run. The Rockets shot 80 percent in the first quarter for a 40-18 lead and 72.2 percent in the first half for a 68-44 advantage the break.

"They played really inspired," said first-year Celtics coach Brad Stevens. "I was really impressed."

Patrick Beverley had 16 points, James Harden scored 15, Chandler Parsons had 11 points and Dwight Howard filled the stat sheet with 10 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and three blocks in under 28 minutes.

The Rockets have won three in a row and four of their last five.

Courtney Lee scored 17 points off the bench to lead the Celtics, who have lost four in a row since a four-game winning streak. Avery Bradley added 11 points and Jared Sullinger scored 10.

The Rockets missed just four of their 20 shots in the first quarter and were 5-for-7 on 3-pointers.

In addition to Jones' six points during the big run, Beverly had five.

Beverley opened the second quarter with a 3 to make it a 25-point game. The Celtics later cut it to 18 but Houston scored 14 of the next 22 for its 24- point lead at halftime.

"I want to make sure we don't play like that again," said Stevens. "There are games where things don't go your way. We're letting one end affect the other and you don't do that on good teams."

The Rockets stretched their lead to 35 points late in the third quarter on Howard's putback and were up 88-57 going into the fourth. It was never closer than 25 after that.

Game Notes

Jones' previous career-high was 14 points, set twice ... The Rockets are at Dallas on Wednesday night ... The Celtics finish a three-game road trip Wednesday at San Antonio.