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Boston Celtics: Reliving Boston’s Historic 26 Point Comeback Vs Houston a Year Ago

By Travis Babcock

BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 28 : Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics is pumped up after a play during the game against the Houston Rockets on December 28, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 28 : Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics is pumped up after a play during the game against the Houston Rockets on December 28, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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As the Boston Celtics get set to take on the Houson Rockets on Thursday night, let’s take a look back at one of the most memorable games of the 2017 NBA season.

When the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets collided on December 28th of 2017, the two franchises were the powerhouses of the NBA.

Boston had recently run off 16 straight wins and came in with the league’s top record at 29-10. The Rockets had a sizeable lead of their own in the West with a 25-8 record, and James Harden was all but a lock for the league’s MVP award.

So, naturally, the matchup was one of two goliaths with a heavy playoff atmosphere. Needless to say, it lived up to the hype.

With just under 11 minutes to play in the 3rd quarter, Nene Hilario slammed home an easy dunk off of a pretty pass from James Harden to give Houston their biggest lead of the game. The Rockets appeared to be cruising to an easy blowout victory, leading the disheartened Celtics 64-38.

Houston learned that day to never lift the foot off the gas pedal. The Rockets led for over 47 minutes, started off with a 12-0 run and capitalized by a whopping 26 point largest lead. The Celtics, on the other hand, led the contest for all of 3 seconds, the most important seconds of the game.

The Celtics started their comeback about halfway through the 3rd quarter. Kyrie Irving really started heating up, knocking down threes in bunches to help put his struggling team back on track. He scored 12 points in the 3rd period to close the gap to 9 heading into the 4th quarter.

A back and forth fourth quarter would pursue, with Houston clinging to a slim lead most of the way. Marcus Smart would become Boston’s hero yet again, delivering one of the most memorable clutch performances in NBA history, and certainly one that Celtics fans who saw it will never forget.

With 13 seconds to play, Smart would nail a clutch layup to cut Houston’s lead to one. Harden would be intentionally fouled on the ensuing possession and after a pair of free-throws it would be yet again up to the Cs to answer. Jayson Tatum got a quick dunk off of the feed from Smart to cut the lead back to 1.

Then the magic happened.

https://twitter.com/nesportsplug/status/1078333844988792832?s=21

Helped by a little magic from Al Horford, Marcus Smart would become the hero of the game by taking not one but two offensive fouls on eventual league MVP James Harden in the final seconds.

The game will live on as one of the wildest in Celtics history, and become a career-defining moment in Marcus Smart’s tenure with the team.

Fast forward a year later, and the Celtics are yet again set to take on the Rockets. This time the matchup will take place in Houston, and this time the circumstances are a bit different. The Celtics come in nearly fully healthy but struggling to find an identity.

Following a hard-fought Christmas victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Celtics are sitting at 5th place in the Eastern Conference with a 20-13 record. The Rockets have finally hit their stride after an abysmal start to the 2018 campaign. Houston has climbed into the playoff picture following wins in 7 of their last 9 games.

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The matchup will undoubtedly come with a playoff feel, as the two franchises are still bona fide contenders despite their early season struggles. Will NBA fans be in for another post-Christmas treat? Find out Thursday night at 8 PM EST on TNT!

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