NBA: Sengun's 26 points and 10 assists power Houston past Boston, 109-93

Houston beat Boston 109-93 at the Toyota Center in front of 18,055 spectators on Monday 2 November 2026. The Rockets built their win without the lead ever changing hands, then pulled away in the final quarter. Alperen Sengun finished with 26 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds, shooting 12 of 15 from the field, with a plus-minus of +21 in 38 minutes.

The win lifts Houston to 7-1, top of the Western Conference in the standings as of 3 November. Boston are 5-2 and sit third in the East. The Celtics had been billed as playing the second game of a back-to-back, after a game in Orlando the night before. Paul George was listed as out for Boston during this stretch. The latest injury report also had Devin Carter down as out for Boston, along with Steven Adams and Clint Capela for Houston.

Level at 29, then seven clear at halftime

Houston led 15-11 with 6:09 left in the first quarter, then stretched it to 25-15 with 2:39 to play. Boston answered with a 9-0 run to close to 25-24 with 57.8 seconds on the clock. The first quarter ended level at 29-29, after the opening twelve minutes produced no lasting separation.

The second quarter tilted more clearly towards the Rockets, who won it 28-21. They led 40-35 with 6:05 to go before the break and took a seven-point lead into halftime, 57-50. At that stage the gap was still modest, but Houston had already set the pattern of the game: keeping Boston behind without ever pulling fully clear.

Boston cuts it to one, Houston shuts the door

After the interval, Boston found another spell to get back into it. The Celtics went on a 7-0 run, from 63-55 to 63-62, with 8:44 left in the third quarter. They were back within one possession. Houston did not let the game turn: the Rockets won the period 25-23 and entered the fourth quarter nine points up, 82-73.

The decision came in the middle of the fourth quarter. Between 8:31 and 6:52 to play, Houston ripped off a 10-0 run, from 87-79 to 97-79. That gave the Rockets their biggest lead of the night, 18 points. They still led 100-82 with 6:24 left, then won the final quarter 27-20 to seal the 109-93 final.

Key individual performances

Sengun filled the stat sheet with 26 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds. He also added 2 steals and 2 blocks, and turned the ball over just once. Alongside him, Jabari Smith Jr. contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 4 of 5 from three-point range, with a plus-minus of +20 in 36 minutes.

Houston's bench also made its mark through Tari Eason, who scored 13 points in 27 minutes, including 3 of 6 from three, with a plus-minus of +16. Amen Thompson added 14 points in 25 minutes. Kevin Durant finished with 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting, but also 4 turnovers. Fred VanVleet added 9 assists despite shooting 3 of 9.

For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points, along with 6 rebounds and 9 assists. His 8 of 8 at the free-throw line kept Boston going, but his overall shooting stayed poor: 5 of 16 from the field, including 1 of 7 from three, with 5 turnovers. Neemias Queta scored 16 points on 6 of 7 shooting in 26 minutes.

Luka Garza added 14 points off the bench, hitting 4 of 7 from three in 18 minutes. Baylor Scheierman scored 11 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Derrick White was held to 7 points, on 3 of 12 shooting, including 1 of 5 from three. Hugo Gonzalez finished with 6 points and a plus-minus of -16 in 16 minutes.

Three numbers to note

A lead built late. Houston did not win the game from the start. The Rockets were level after the first quarter, then only +7 at halftime. Even after Boston's rally to 63-62 in the third quarter, the game was still open. The 10-0 run in the fourth quarter was where it finally broke open on the scoreboard.

Team play shows up in the assists. Houston finished with 34 assists to Boston's 20. The Rockets made 43 of their 79 shots, and 14 of 35 from three. Even with 14 turnovers, that efficiency gave them enough margin to withstand the Celtics' comebacks.

Boston's shooting let them down. The Celtics finished 32 of 83 from the field and 12 of 42 from three. They did slightly better on the boards, 38 to 36, and at the free-throw line, 17 of 20 against 9 of 13 for Houston. But their poor shooting and 16 turnovers limited their ability to build on their good spells.

The SNA view

The numbers tell the story of a controlled victory rather than a one-off flash. Sengun's line stands out on the Houston side, but the result also comes down to the collective edge: 34 assists, better shooting and several contributors around him. Boston got contributions from Tatum, Queta and Garza, but not enough consistency. The Celtics' 42 three-point attempts show how heavily they leaned on that option; with only 12 makes, it was not enough. From this game, Boston's clearest area of concern remains shooting efficiency, especially when the opponent keeps the ball moving.

What's next

Houston, 7-1 and top of the Western Conference, host Minnesota on 5 November at 2:30 Brazzaville time. Boston, 5-2 and third in the East, welcome Milwaukee the same day at 1:30 Brazzaville time. Both sides therefore turn around quickly, with league positions still solid despite the Celtics' defeat in Houston.