Celtics-Rockets recap: White, Tatum stay hot in C's win

Derrick White talks about what he learned from Rockets coach Ime Udoka after playing for him in San Antonio and here in Boston:

Eddie House and our Celtics Postgame Live crew react to Boston's 109-86 victory:

Celtics guard Payton Pritchard caught up with NBC Sports Boston's Abby Chin after dropping 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting (4-6 3-PT) in Boston's victory:

Score: 100-79 Celtics, 4:53 left in fourth quarter

Derrick White (23 points), Jayson Tatum (20 points) and Payton Pritchard are helping the C's turn this one into a blowout. Boston is now 18-of-38 (47.4 percent) from 3-point range.

Score: 93-72 Celtics, 8:43 left in fourth quarter

The C's have started the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run. Derrick White added another 3 to give him a team-high 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting from deep. Payton Pritchard chipped in his third 3-pointer to give him 17 points off the bench.

Score: 82-72 Celtics

Boston will take a double-digit lead into the final frame in Houston.

Jayson Tatum and Derrick White have led the way with 18 and 17 points, respectively. They're a combined 9-of-19 from 3-point range. Payton Pritchard and Jrue Holiday have added 14 points apiece.

The C's will have to take better care of the basketball in the fourth quarter. Eight of their nine turnovers came in the third.

Jalen Green has done his part for the Rockets with a game-high 24 points.

Score: 79-65 Celtics, 2:58 left in third quarter

Boston has kept Houston off the scoreboard for the last five-plus minutes to take its largest lead of the night. Derrick White has stayed hot with a team-high 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum has been doing Jayson Tatum things, including this filthy move on Cam Whitmore.

Score: 74-65 Celtics, 6:48 left in third quarter

Derrick White has been a force on both ends of the floor in this game. The C's guard has notched 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. He also recorded this incredible transition block on Dillon Brooks:

Jayson Tatum leads the Celtics with 15 points. Payton Pritchard has added 14 off the bench.

Score: 65-56 Celtics

Even without Jaylen Brown and Al Horford, the short-handed C's put on a show offensively against the defensive-minded Rockets in the first half.

They shot 12-for-23 (52.2 percent) from 3-point range. Derrick White (12 points, 4-8 3-PT) and Jayson Tatum (13 points, 3-5 3-PT) led the barrage from beyond the arc. Payton Pritchard (14 points) and Jrue Holiday (12 points) each added a pair of 3s.

One area the Celtics will look to improve in the second half is rebounding. Houston has racked up 14 second-chance points on seven offensive boards.

Score: 53-51 Celtics, 3:50 left in second quarter

Houston has trimmed Boston's 11-point lead to two with just under four minutes left in the first half.

Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green have led the charge for the Rockets with 12 points each. Dillon Brooks has chipped in eight points.

Payton Pritchard has stepped up off the C's bench with a team-high 14 points. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday both have 12.

Score: 47-40 Celtics, 6:57 left in second quarter

Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard have kept the C's ahead with 12 points and two 3-pointers apiece. Derrick White has added nine points on 3-of-5 from deep.

According to Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe, White has extended his streak of games with at least three 3s to a career-best seven games, the longest streak by a Celtic since Jayson Tatum in March 2022.

Score: 37-31 Celtics

The C's take a six-point lead into the second quarter after shooting 7-for-12 from 3-point range in the first.

Jrue Holiday (12 points), Payton Pritchard (10 points), and Derrick White (6 points) have led the way, each starting 2-of-3 from deep. Jayson Tatum notched three points in the opening frame with a 3-pointer of his own.

Luke Kornet added four points off the bench. Kristaps Porzingis has two points and two assists in his return from a four-game absence.

Score: 29-19 Celtics, 3:44 left in first quarter

The Celtics have jumped out to a double-digit lead behind a 5-of-7 start from 3-point range.

Jrue Holiday leads the group with 12 points on 2-of-3 shooting from deep. It's his highest-scoring first quarter as a Celtic.

Derrick White buried a pair of early 3s and Jayson Tatum added one of his own. Luke Kornet provided a spark with four points -- including a highlight-reel dunk -- in four minutes off the bench.

Score: 15-12 Rockets, 7:29 left in first quarter

Rockets big man Alperen Sengun has eight of Houston's 15 points to go with two rebounds just four-and-a-half minutes into the frame. Dillon Brooks has chipped in five of the Rockets' points.

Derrick White has drilled two early 3-pointers for the Celtics. Jrue Holiday has four points on 2-of-3 shooting.

Celtics: Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis.

Rockets: Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green, Alperen Sengun.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla says Kristaps Porzingis will have no restrictions in his return Friday night. Jaylen Brown remains "day-to-day" with his shoulder issue.

Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain) will return for the Celtics after a four-game absence. Jaylen Brown (shoulder) will miss his second straight game and Al Horford (rest) will not play the second night of the back-to-back.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka announced before the game that Jabari Smith Jr. will miss 4-8 weeks with a broken hand, which he suffered during shootaround earlier on Friday. Amen Thompson will miss tonight's game as he serves his suspension for throwing Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro to the floor earlier this week.