STAR PERFORMANCE
Thompson hits game-winning shot as Rockets rally past Celtics
Jan 27, 2025, 9:38 pm
Rockets beat the Celtics, 114-112. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images.
Amen Thompson hit a game-winning floater with 0.7 seconds left and finished with 33 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 114-112 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday night.
Dillon Brooks shot 10 of 15 from 3-point range and led Houston with 36 points. The Rockets won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Jaylen Brown had 28 points for the Celtics, and Jayson Tatum added 19 after a scoreless first half. Luke Kornet had 18 and Kristaps Porzingis scored 17 to go with eight rebounds.
Rockets leading scorer Jalen Green was held to 12 points.
Thompson broke free off an inbounds play and went in for an easy dunk, pushing Houston in front 112-110. But after a timeout, Tatum got the ball near midcourt and drove in for the tying layup with 5.3 seconds left.
Brooks’ 10th 3-pointer gave the Rockets a 108-106 lead with 1:39 to play.
The Celtics easily won the first meeting between the teams in Houston on Jan. 3.
Houston coach Ime Udoka said before the game that forward Cam Whitmore was “sick and back at the hotel.”
Takeaways
Rockets: Coming off their second win over East-leading Cleveland in a week, the surprising Rockets rallied after falling behind by 12 early in the final quarter.
Celtics: With center Al Horford a very late scratch after going through warmups, Derrick White (bruised right shin) and Sam Hauser (right hip) all out, coach Joe Mazzulla mixed and matched some unusual lineups by going deep into the bench.
Key moment
Thompson took the ball just outside the 3-point line, drove and hit his winning shot over Brown.
Key stat
Tatum missed all five shot attempts in the opening half.
Up next
The Rockets are at the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, the third stop on a four-game trip. The Celtics host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
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Jan 30, 2025, 1:07 pm
The Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Ryan Pressly and cash from the Houston Astros on Tuesday for minor league pitcher Juan Bello.
Pressly likely slides into the closer's role with Chicago, which is looking to go back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. He had a 3.49 ERA in 59 appearances last year while serving as a setup man for Josh Hader.
The 20-year-old Bello went 4-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 22 starts for Class A Myrtle Beach last year. He is 4-8 with a 3.66 ERA in 35 career minor league games.
To make room for Pressly on the 40-man roster, Chicago designated right-hander Matt Festa for assignment. Festa, 31, was acquired in a trade with Texas on Jan. 9.
The Pressly move is the second major offseason deal between Chicago and Houston. The Cubs added All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a multiplayer trade with the Astros in December.
Pressly waived his no-trade clause to go to Chicago. He had the right to block the deal because of his 12 years in the majors and six-plus seasons with Houston.
Chicago had been searching for bullpen help since it went 83-79 and finished second in the NL Central in 2024 for the second straight season. It was reportedly in the mix for Tanner Scott before he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Cubs are paying $8.5 million of Pressly's $14 million salary for 2025 in the last year of his contract.
Pressly's departure provides some financial flexibility for Houston that it could use to make a renewed push for a reunion with free agent third baseman Alex Bregman. It also could look to upgrade its outfield.
Hader replaced Pressly as Houston’s closer after he agreed to a $95 million, five-year contract last January. He had a 3.80 ERA and 34 saves in 71 games as the Astros won the AL West for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.
With the Pressly trade, Bryan Abreu and Tayler Scott each could take on a more prominent role in Houston’s bullpen.
Pressly, a 36-year-old Dallas native, made his big league debut with Minnesota in 2013 and spent his first five-plus seasons with the Twins. He was traded to Houston in July 2018.
Pressly rose to prominence with the Astros, becoming one of baseball’s best relievers. The two-time All-Star had a streak of 40 consecutive games without allowing a run from Aug. 15, 2018, to May 23, 2019.
He was a key performer when Houston won the franchise’s second World Series title in 2022. He had a career-high 33 saves with a 2.98 ERA during the regular season, and then went on a dominant run in the playoffs. He saved six postseason games, striking out 13 while allowing an unearned run and four hits in 11 innings over 10 appearances.
Pressly is 35-36 with a 3.27 ERA and 112 saves in 623 major league games. He also has 693 strikeouts and 190 walks in 650 innings.
*Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!