Your Houston Rockets entered their game against the Los Angeles Clippers on their first winning streak since the first week of January following their victory against the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday evening.
After a few hot weeks recently, the Clippers have been average. After blowing a huge second-half lead recently, they are just 5-5 in their last 10 games. Of course, the main attraction of any game against the Clippers is the matchup against James Harden. The last time the Rockets faced the Clippers was in the season tournament. The game came down to the final minutes and Harden made a wild, off-balance four-point play that put the game away.
Jabari Smith and Jeff Green entered the game as questionable. Before the game, Coach Udoka told the media that Smith would play, but Jeff Green was out. The game was against a tough team, but if the Rockets want to maintain their slim play-in chances, every game is essential.
First half
James Harden received mostly cheers during intros when his name was called.
On the Rockets’ first possession of the game, Jalen Green went straight to James Harden for an easy layup. Harden responded on the other end to score his first two baskets, as the Clippers took an early lead. Despite coming in less than 100 percent, Smith had two blocked shots, one at the rim, as the Rockets took an early 13-9 lead.
The Rockets’ excellent defense from the day before continued for most of the first quarter on Wednesday night. They held the Clippers to 14 points in the first nine minutes of the quarter. Jalen Green had another strong start, leading the Rockets early with seven points on 3-of-5 shooting. The Rockets went up by as much as 13 points after a three-point basket from Cam Whitmore. The Rockets took a 27-19 lead into the second quarter.
The Rockets increased their lead at the start of the quarter. After a Whitmore dunk that looked like a cannon shot and an Amen Thompson basket, the Rockets took a 36-25 lead. Instant Cam made another three-pointer and a layup on the fast break to push the Rockets’ lead to 13. Sengun pulled down an offensive rebound and found Aaron Holiday for an open three-pointer, and just like that, the Rockets led 17.
The Clippers began to take the lead as Kwahi Leonard asserted himself. With less than two minutes remaining, the Clippers were able to cut the lead to 10. The Rockets took a 57-44 lead into halftime.
Second part
The Clippers scored a few early baskets to cut the lead to nine. After the Rockets’ timeout, they settled things, and after a three from Smith, the Rockets went up 11. The Clippers, however, would embark on a race to end the third, and after a mid-range shot from Leonard with 0.6 seconds. On the left, the Clippers cut the lead to six at 86-80.
The Rockets started the fourth game hot with two consecutive baskets, the second coming from a nice move by Sengun, which further pushed the Rockets’ lead into double digits. Here are the Clippers, who scored five straight times with seven minutes remaining to cut the lead to three at 99-96. A Leonard three-pointer brought the Clippers even closer, as Los Angeles was as close as they had been since the first quarter, 101-99.
The Rockets would increase the lead to 106-101 with over five minutes left, but that would be the highlight of the rest of the game. The Clippers would close the game with the score capped at 21-10, and with 2:06 left, Leonard would make a mid-range jumper and be fouled in the process. This game was important because, at the time, the Rockets were only down by two points. Before the game, the Rockets coaching staff was yelling at players to foul Mason Plumlee so he would have to make two free throws.
The Rockets did the hack-a-Plumlee earlier in the quarter, and he missed both free throws. This time, however, no one on the Rockets court got the message. Here’s Coach Udoka on the miscommunication after the game.
The Rockets’ miscommunication not only cost them three points, but also a challenge. After the play, the Rockets contested the foul, and it was not overturned. This play sealed the victory for the Clippers and ended the Rockets’ brief two-game winning streak.
You can tell how much the Clippers wanted this game to fall apart from the previous game against the Bucks. They could be heard clapping and shouting as they entered the visitors’ locker room after the match.
It was a winnable game for the Rockets. They led most of it but ran out of gas late, or the Clippers superstars were too late. Regardless, the Rockets lost, falling to 27-35 on the season.
They now hit the road for three straight games, the first Friday against the Portland Trailblazers.
You can check out all the post-match interviews on the Rocket fuel YouTube page.
