Three Takeaways from the LA Clippers' Comeback Win over the Houston Rockets
Not every win can be pretty.
The LA Clippers didn't look anything like one of the top teams in the NBA for most of Friday night's contest. However, they ultimately did enough to pull away from the Houston Rockets in the fourth quarter to earn their 43rd win of the season and continue their four-game winning streak.
The Clippers got off on the right foot offensively, pouring in 37 points in the first quarter and 28 in the second to go into the half with 65. Where LA struggled was on the defensive end of the floor, as they allowed the Rockets to score 61.
John Wall was responsible for a good chunk of the damage on Houston's end, as the veteran point guard tallied 16 points and 10 assists through the first half. Only Paul George, who had 20 points at the break, had been more productive.
The third quarter is where things fell apart for the Clippers. In their lowest-scoring frame of the season, LA mustered just 11 points and committed as many turnovers (five) as they made shots. Fortunately, the Rockets were almost as dreadful in the third and scored just 19 points on 36% shooting from the field.
LA went into the final quarter trailing by four, and that deficit quickly grew to seven as Houston took an 81-88 lead with a little less than 10 minutes to play. The Clippers' luck looked like it was fading fast, but a quick 11-2 run — led by Reggie Jackson, who scored nine points in 90 seconds — put them back on top for good.
Houston did manage to make things interesting in the final minutes, but the Clippers survived their late run to escape with a win and improve to 43-19 on the season.
Let's take a closer look at how LA pulled this one out.
Paul George Tallies Another 30-Piece
At this rate, Paul George may never cool off.
The two-way star had another strong all-around outing on Friday night, finishing with 33 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and two steals in 34 minutes of action. Not only was it George's seventh 30-point performance across his last eight appearances, but he also went 10-10 from the free-throw line, which marked a new season-high in both makes and attempts.
George is now averaging 32.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals and shooting nearly 52% from the field over his last eight contests. Unsurprisingly, the Clippers are 7-1 over that stretch, with the only loss coming to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Clippers needed this one from George, too. With Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris Sr. and Rajon Rondo all sidelined, somebody had to get the ball rolling on offense. George scored at will and was aggressive with his shot, hoisting up 27 field goal attempts — his third-highest mark of the year.
Assuming Leonard remains out for Monday's contest in New Orleans, the Clippers will likely be looking for another big game from George.
Reggie Jackson Shows Up Late
At some point, we're all going to run out of things to say about Reggie Jackson. The veteran guard has been one of the Clippers' most important players all year long, and it doesn't look like that'll be changing anytime soon.
Jackson had another clutch performance on Friday night, going for 19 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals in 32 minutes. He scored 13 of those points in the fourth quarter and nine in a matter of 90 seconds that brought the Clippers from down five to up two in a game where they had looked lifeless for much of the second half.
The 31-year-old has excelled in just about every role he's taken on this season, but he's done especially well as a starter. In 36 such occasions, Jackson is averaging 12.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in less than 28 minutes per game.
"I put in a lot of hard work over my career," Jackson said after the game. "I just like to make sure I stay ready and just have confidence in those moments to take the shot."
It would be surprising if Jackson remained in the starting rotation after Patrick Beverley returns, but there's certainly an argument to be made that he should. The team has been terrific with him running the floor, and while he isn't the defender that Beverley is, he may be the more dynamic player.
The Push for No. 2
With Friday night's win, the LA Clippers gained some distance on the Phoenix Suns for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. LA now sits just 0.5 games back of Phoenix in the standings, and there's a good chance the Clippers jump them ahead of their matchup on April 28.
The Clippers will get the weekend off before taking on the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, and then they'll get another day off before traveling to Phoenix next Wednesday. The Suns, on the other hand, will play a back-to-back set on the road against the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks before returning to host LA, which will be their third game in four nights.
Not only would clinching the No. 2 seed potentially give the Clippers a more favorable first-round matchup, but if they go on to play Phoenix in the second round, LA would have homecourt advantage in the series — a crucial get, considering how great both teams have been at home this season.
The Clippers will need to keep their foot on the gas and hope for better health, but there's a very realistic path to a top-two finish in the West.
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