The Celtics fell apart defensively on the final two possessions as Dillon Brooks and the Rockets claimed a 114-112 victory.

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks is known for his ability to irritate opponents. Doing this regularly during his six seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooks led the NBA with 18 technical fouls during the 2022-23 season ( via FOX Sports ).

The Celtics accomplished that, holding the Rockets’ top three leading scorers to 30 total points on 9-of-32 shooting (3-for-14 on 3-pointers). But their decision to force Houston to play through Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson backfired.

Kristaps Porzingis was whistled for a technical foul after bumping Rockets guard Dillon Brooks in the first quarter on Monday night. Ultimately, it was Brooks that got the last laugh though in a 114-112 comeback win over the Celtics at TD Garden.

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the rest of the Celtics were surprised by the 3-point barrage from Rockets forward Dillon Brooks.

Houston's Dillon Brooks made his comments during an on-court interview at the conclusion of the Rockets’ win on Jan. 27.

The Celtics need to execute better, especially during fourth-quarter possessions. They also need to sharpen up on offense and defense.

With 36 points and 10 made 3s, Dillon Brooks had one of the best long-range shooting games in Rockets history as Houston won at Boston.

While Amen Thompson played hero with his game-winner that capped off a 33-point night for the second-year pro, the Rockets cannot forget the impact Dillon Brooks had on the game.

Dillon Brooks had a career night against the Celtics on Monday, but he's far from the only player who has stepped up his game against Boston.

Houston's January surge continued as they overcame a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to sink the Celtics in Boston