Jalen Green’s 21 points led the Houston Rockets to a 111-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, opening a two-game series with a victory that marked Houston’s third straight win.
Houston’s Amen Thompson and Tari Eason both contributed 18 points off the bench, helping the Rockets overcome an early 11-point deficit.
By halftime, Houston had rallied to take a five-point lead, setting up a dominant stretch that would carry them through the second half.
The Rockets surged late in the third quarter, extending a narrow two-point advantage to a 19-point lead with a 19-2 run.
Eason played a key role in the stretch, scoring eight points and helping Houston establish a 98-79 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Clippers battled back, cutting the deficit to just four points with 90 seconds left, but Alperen Sengun’s timely dunk followed by a critical block secured the Rockets’ win. Sengun also finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.
James Harden led the Clippers with 19 points, hitting three of four from beyond the arc in the first quarter but struggling from deep the rest of the way, missing his final four attempts. Harden now sits just three 3-pointers shy of tying Ray Allen for the second-most in NBA history.
The Rockets’ defense proved crucial in securing the win, limiting the Clippers to 39.6% shooting and forcing nine turnovers. Houston also leveraged a significant rebounding edge on the offensive glass, grabbing 18 offensive boards and outscoring Los Angeles 19-6 in second-chance points.
Los Angeles missed the defensive presence of Kawhi Leonard, who remains out due to knee rehabilitation, while the Rockets benefited from the energetic contributions of Eason and Thompson, who have consistently delivered off the bench in recent games.
With the victory, Houston improved to 8-4, while the Clippers, who saw their four-game winning streak end earlier this week, fell to 6-6. The two teams will meet again on Friday as Los Angeles looks to even the series.
