Rockets Host the Celtics on Monday Night: 6-1 Meets 5-1 at Toyota Center, Sengun Against Tatum

HOUSTON - Two losses between them, and both belong to the past. The Houston Rockets (6-1) host the Boston Celtics (5-1) at Toyota Center on Monday night, tip-off 8:30 p.m. Eastern - 7:30 in Houston - in the first meeting of the season between two of the league's fastest starters, carried on Space City Home Network and NBC Sports Boston.

The offenses arrive nearly identical on paper: Boston scores 120.8 points a game on 47.4 percent shooting, Houston 120.7 on 49.2 percent, and one preview credits the Rockets with the league's No. 1 offensive rating through two weeks. Houston's edge, per the matchup numbers, is efficiency and rim protection - nearly double Boston's blocks per game. Alperen Sengun runs the Rockets' attack from the center spot at 22.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.4 assists a game, with Kevin Durant at 22.0 points on 51.1 percent shooting, Jabari Smith Jr. at 19 and Amen Thompson at 16.3. Boston counters with Jayson Tatum - 27.6 points, 7.8 assists, 6.4 rebounds - and Paul George's 21.4 points.

The injury lists shape the frontcourt battle. Houston is without Steven Adams (right calf strain, not expected back until Nov. 9), and Clint Capela (right ankle sprain) and Reed Sheppard (back) are both game-time questions with a return date of tonight; Quadir Copeland and Julian Phillips are also out. Boston arrives on the second night of a back-to-back without Mitchell Robinson (rest) and Devin Carter (illness) - which leaves Boston thin exactly where Sengun works.

Houston's probable starters are Sengun, Durant, Smith Jr., Thompson and Fred VanVleet, who is averaging 6.4 assists in his return. The Rockets come in off a 119-98 win over Oklahoma City; Boston has won five straight. One of those runs bends tonight at the Toyota Center.