It’s weird that the two teams with Christmas colors that played on Christmas didn’t play each other.
Anyway, with both squads coming off big Christmas Day wins over rivals, Boston comes into the Toyota Center almost assuredly more confident in their standing than Houston does. For one thing, the Rockets are still hurt and might be even more injured if James Harden (questionable with a bruised calf) misses the game.
The Boston Celtics haven’t had the dream season they expected. With LeBron James gone to the West, most fans penciled in Boston as the favorite to come out of the East.