The Houston Rockets have not lost since their opener, and Monday night they made the loudest statement yet. Behind 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds from Alperen Sengun, Houston went into Boston and coasted to a 109-93 win, never trailing at any point. The victory pushed the Rockets to 7-1 and into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference after Memphis dropped its first game of the season in overtime to New Orleans.

The way Houston won it says plenty. The Rockets outscored the Celtics 18-2 on the fast break and 50-34 in the paint, setting a tone that a Boston team on a five-game win streak could not match. Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points on 5-of-16 shooting, and Marcus Smart got to face his former team and keep the momentum rolling. This is Houston’s best start to a season since 2014-15.

For Waxahachie-area basketball fans, it’s a happy sight and an early-season run that’s easy to get behind. Friday nights under the lights at the high school stadium are as good as it gets around here, and the Rockets are giving folks a reason to keep the games on the rest of the week too. It’s a long season and plenty can change, but sitting in first in the West in November is nothing to shrug off.

The Rockets look to keep it rolling later this week. Think Houston holds onto first place through Thanksgiving? Drop a comment and let us know where you stand on this team.