Rockets' Cam Whitmore Shines During Loss to Celtics: 'He is Getting Comfortable'

Despite sustaining an embarrassing defeat to the Celtics, Cam Whitmore was the lone bright spot for the Houston Rockets Saturday night.

The Houston Rockets sustained a significant defeat Saturday night during a 145-113 loss to the Boston Celtics. The Rockets sustained their worst loss of the season. But despite falling to the Celtics, the performance of Cam Whitmore was the lone positive to take from the game. 

Whitmore came off the bench to lead the Rockets in scoring with a career-high of 22 points on 7 of 13 shooting, seven rebounds and a block. The former Villanova prospect is quickly establishing himself as a reliable player within coach Ime Udoka's rotation.

"He is getting comfortable out there," Fred VanVleet said. "He is finding his rhythm offensively. He is no longer looking over his shoulders. We know about his offensive talent, physicality and his athleticism. He is picking up more defensive coverages. He is also locked in to more of the team game. He is a special talent, and you can see why."

Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) smiles after a play during the game against the Detroit Pistons at Toyota Center / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Whitmore has spent most of his rookie season honing his talents with the Rio Grande Vally Vipers. He appeared in 13 games, proving why he could be the biggest steal of the 2023 NBA Draft, where he fell to the Rockets with the 20th selection.

He led the G League in scoring, averaging 26.2 points, while meeting Udoka's challenge of improving his defense. Whitmore recorded 6.8 rebounds while tied for ninth in the G League after registering 2.1 steals.

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Before rejoining the Rockets, Whitmore scored a team-high 19 points while adding nine rebounds and two steals amid the Vipers' loss to the Rip City Remix on Dec. 21.

Since returning from his latest G League stint, Whitmore is reaping the benefits of his development with the Vipers. Over the previous seven games, Whitmore has averaged 12.3 points while playing 19.7 minutes.