The Houston Rockets lost to the Boston Celtics 109-86 on Friday night without forward Jabari Smith Jr. in the lineup for the first time this season, and the NBA team could be without the former Auburn standout for the next one or two months.

The Houston Rockets expect Jabari Smith Jr. to require surgery and miss four to eight weeks after breaking his left hand during shootaround Friday.

The Houston Rockets have been one of the surprise teams in the NBA, after taking a step up last year the Rockets have made a leap to the no. 3 seed in the Weste

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The Celtics may play down multiple starters, and should take care to treat the Rockets as a real threat under former Boston coach Ime Udoka.

The Boston Celtics head to the Toyota Center to face the Houston Rockets in a non-conference matchup. The Celtics are 25-9, which lands them in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Rockets are 22-11, which lands them in third place in the Western Conference.