The Rockets Can't Afford To Take The Clippers Lightly

The Houston Rockets are preparing to take on the Los Angeles Clippers after a significant break. The Clippers still have two high-performing players on their team, and the Rockets could suffer another letdown if they take the team lightly.

Dec 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) brings the ball up the court during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets haven't played a game for several days as the NBA Cup entered the elimination stages. Their first opponent after the long break will be the Los Angeles Clippers, a team mired in controversy and underperforming by several metrics. However, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard have still been performing at high levels indivually. The Rockets can't afford to take them lightly or they risk taking another loss to a weaker team.

The Rockets' letdown losses have been mostly self inflicted, not necessarily due to impressive play from the opposing team.

Lauri Markkanen had a strong game for the Utah Jazz in their win over the Rockets, and Houston lost to Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg in the game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The key factor, is that these teams have an all-star capable player on their roster that can change the context of a game just from their individual performance. If the Rockets aren't also performing well to combat that, they can't overwhelm teams with their talent like the Oklahoma City Thunder can.

This is why there is legitimate concern when it comes to facing the Clippers.

While Leonard was out, Harden took responsibility of competing for the team, putting up numbers that looked closer to prime Harden than the veteran, twilight years version of Harden.

The former Rocket great has continued his play even in Leonard's return, playing the two-man game that was envisioned for the team when the two players were brought together. However, the team construction around the two stars is lacking, as the front office has failed to put together a quality roster of role players and reserves.

The only plus players are Harden and Leonard, especially with significant regression by Ivica Zubac this season. The Clippers star duo just aren't at a point in their career to carry a team by themselves, a task that's difficult even for stars in their prime due to the collection of talent in the Western Conference.

The Rockets must take advantage of the Clippers' weaknesses to force Harden and Leonard to play hero ball against Houston's elite defense. The Clippers' stars are prone to taking some difficult shots, so forcing them to fall into that style of play could be conducive to returning to the win column after a disappointing loss to the Mavericks.

Another loss against the Clippers could be the ultimate disappointment, and it would be a difficult way to come back after the long break.