Rockets defeat the Clippers, 111-103. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Jalen Green had 21 points and Amen Thompson and Tari Eason added 18 each to lead the Houston Rockets to a 111-103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night in the opener of a two-game set.
The Rockets trailed by 11 early but had taken a five-point lead by halftime. They used a huge run at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth to push the lead to 19.
The Clippers used a 9-2 run to cut the lead to four with about 90 seconds remaining, but Alperen Sengun had a dunk followed by a monster block on the other end to secure Houston’s third straight victory.
James Harden had 19 points for the Clippers, who lost a second straight after winning four in a row. He was 3 of 4 on 3-pointers in the first quarter but missed all four attempts after that. He moved within three of tying Ray Allen (2,973) for second-most career 3-pointers in NBA history behind Stephen Curry (3.779).
Takeaways
Clippers: Los Angeles has struggled defensively in the last two games and would certainly benefit from the return of Kawhi Leonard, who hasn’t played this season while rehabilitating his right knee. He didn’t make this road trip and it’s unclear when he’ll make his season debut.
Rockets: Eason and Thompson continue to give Houston a boost off the bench. Eason has scored in double figures in five straight games and Thompson has done so in three of the last four.
Key moment
The Rockets led by two late in the third quarter before using a 19-2 run to push the lead to 98-79 with about 10 minutes remaining. Eason made eight points in that stretch.
Key stat
The Rockets got 18 offensive rebounds to 10 by the Clippers and to help them to a 19-6 advantage on second-chance points.
Up next
The teams meet again in Houston on Friday night.
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The Houston Rockets (7-4) will look to extend their three-game home winning streak as they face the Los Angeles Clippers (6-5) in a Western Conference showdown on Wednesday. Coming off a 41-41 season, the Rockets are making early strides with a solid 7-4 start, positioning them fifth in the conference.
Last season, Houston’s defense allowed opponents 113.2 points per game on 46.3% shooting, and this season, they’re hoping to tighten up on that end to continue their momentum.
The Clippers, on the other hand, finished last season with a 51-31 record and currently sit at ninth in the conference with a 6-5 record.
Known for their offense, they averaged 115.6 points per game last season, shooting a sharp 48.9% from the field and 38.1% from three-point range. Los Angeles will be without Kawhi Leonard, who’s out due to a knee injury, potentially limiting their scoring power.
The Rockets will also face a few injury concerns with Jock Landale and Fred VanVleet listed as day-to-day. The Clippers, along with missing Leonard, may also be without Mo Bamba and P.J. Tucker, who are both day-to-day.
The Rockets aim to continue their solid home form, while the Clippers will look to make adjustments to secure a key conference win on the road.
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