For the second time in two nights the Boston Celtics are in action, this time the defending NBA Champions face former coach Ime Udoka and the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center in Houston on Friday, Jan. 3.
The game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Boston and Space City Home Network. Fans looking to watch this NBA game can do so for free by using which offers a free trial. You can also watch on FuboTV, which also offers a free trial and $30 off your first month, or SlingTV, which doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available.
The Celtics took care of business on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, moving them to 25-9 on the season. The Rockets are also undefeated three days into 2025, defeating the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, stopping a two-game skid and climbing to 22-11.
Who: Boston Celtics vs. Houston Rockets
When: Friday, Jan. 3 at 8 p.m. EST
Where: Toyota Center in Houston
Stream: FuboTV (fre trial); Sling;
Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including . From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial and $30 off the first month for new customers.
What is DirecTV Stream?
offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including , and Starz.
What is SlingTV?
SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation.
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Antetokounmpo, Jokic and James among early NBA All-Star leading vote-getters
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is the early leader in fan balloting for the NBA All-Star Game, and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers seems well on his way toward extending his record and getting picked for a 21st time.
The first update on All-Star voting for this season’s revised game was released Thursday, with Antetokounmpo the overall leader with about 1.7 million votes. Denver’s Nikola Jokic is second overall with about 1.4 million votes, which is tops among all Western Conference players.
The 10 players on pace to be selected as starters, at least based on the fan balloting: Antetokounmpo, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell from the Eastern Conference, and Jokic, Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dallas’ Luka Doncic and James from the West.
But there won’t be 10 starters this year for the All-Star Game, set to take place Feb. 16 in San Francisco. There will be more.
It’s the first year of a new All-Star format, one where there will be three games. The 24 All-Stars will be drafted into three teams of eight players apiece by TNT personalities and former NBA greats Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.
Those three teams will be entered into a four-team tournament, with the remaining squad being the team of NBA rookies and second-year players that wins the Rising Stars event on All-Star Friday. There are two semifinal games, followed by the winners meeting in a championship game — with the first team to reach 40 points the winner of all three games.
It will be wildly different than last year, when the All-Star Game final score was 211-186 — the highest-scoring one in history.
Voting continues through Jan. 20.
Fan voting makes up 50% of the All-Star starter selection formula, with media voting accounting for another 25% and voting by current NBA players counting for the remaining 25%.
The 10 players designated as starters — even though there technically will be at least 15 starters in the All-Star “games” — will be announced on Jan. 23, and the reserves that will be selected by NBA head coaches will be announced on Jan. 30.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
