On a night that swayed sporadically between trap game and blowout, the L.A. Clippers (36-18) secured their fourth straight win, beating the Houston Rockets 126-109 Friday. From questionable to incredible, Reggie Jackson stepped up with 26 points (10-14 FG, 6-9 3PT), seven assists, two steals and zero turnovers. Kawhi Leonard was dominant once again with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. Seeing a team-high of minutes (35:36) off of the bench, Terance Mann was terrific as he tied his career-high with nine assists and had 16 points (7-8 FG, 2-2 3PT) and two steals to boot. Picking up the point guard duties for the resting John Wall, Kevin Porter Jr. had 14 points, six rebounds and 13 assists for Houston. Read on for our full Clippers vs. Rockets game recap.
Summary
On same night that the Clippers ruled out Patrick Beverley for the foreseeable future due to injury, defense plagued the team in the first quarter as Houston put up 30+ points for the fourth time in their last eight games. While donning a fresh pair of protective goggles after taking a shot to the eye Thursday, Reggie Jackson sparked the Clippers with eight early points on 3-for-3 shooting, including two threes. Midway through a fairly even turnover-free period, the Rockets utilized a 19-2 run to turn a 11-17 deficit into a 30-19 lead. Ultimately, with Jackson, Ivica Zubac and Luke Kennard all picking up two fouls apiece, and lackadaisical Clipper defense gift-wrapping easy drives and free throws for the visitors, the Rockets came out to a 36-26 lead through one.
The Clippers had one of their finest quarters of the season in the second, outscoring the Rockets 41-10—the second-largest point differential in a quarter in franchise history. After falling behind by as much as 14, down 26-40 at the 9:57 mark, the Clippers came alive on both ends of floor on a 41-4 run to go up by 23. Reggie Jackson stayed perfect from the field, knocking down three more 3s, tying his career-high for made 3-pointers in a half (5). Kawhi Leonard was unstoppable with a team-high 11 points in the frame while Terance Mann was everywhere doing just about everything. With plenty of highlights and a phenomenal 37-point turnaround made, L.A. ended the first half up 67-46.
Houston showed its grit in the third, besting the Clippers 37-27 in the period. On the backs of empty possessions, fouls and turnovers by LAC, the Rockets went on a 13-2 run to cut the Clippers lead to 10. After L.A. soon answered with its own 14-4 spurt to push the lead back up to 18, both teams battled the rest of way as the Clippers headed to the final frame ahead 94-83.
In the fourth quarter, the Rockets amped up the pressure in the first five minutes as a pair of threes by Sterling Brown and D.J. Augustin pulled Houston within five. Off of timely shot-making by Jackson, Mann, Patrick Patterson and Nicolas Batum, however, the Clippers were able to find a variety of ways to keep the Rockets at bay. In just 2 minutes and 38 seconds of action in the fourth, Kawhi added in eight points on perfect shooting from the field to ice the game.
Clippers vs. Rockets Game Notes
- A Record Night: Reggie Jackson tied his career-high for most 3s made in a half (5) and in a game (6). Terance Mann tied his career high in assists with nine. While winning the second quarter by 31 points, which is tied for the second-biggest point differential in a single quarter in Clippers history, the Clippers allowed just 10 points during that stretch—the least amount of points allowed in a quarter this season.
- Wheeling and Dealing with Zero Rest: The Clippers improved to 20-1 when scoring at least 120 points, 7-0 when having at least 30 assists and 9-1 on the second game of a back-to-back.
- Closing Time: After giving up a combined 73 points in the first (36) and third (37) quarters, the Clippers allowed a combined 36 in the second (10) and fourth (26) to close the halves.
- Up Next: The Clippers will host the Detroit Pistons at Staples Center to close out their nine-game homestand Sunday, April 11 at 7 p.m.
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