NBA

Houston Rockets at LA Clippers

· National Basketball Association
16-8, 7-5 Away
Final
117 - 106

14-11, 9-6 Home

Jalen Green scores 31 to lead Rockets past Clippers 117-106

Rockets hand Clippers 2nd straight loss

The Rockets ended a two-game skid without starter Fred VanVleet, who missed his first game of the season because of a right knee contusion.

Bones Hyland led the Clippers with 22 points off the bench, making a team-best five 3-pointers, and Ivica Zubac added 21 points and 12 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. had 19 points in his first career start for the team.

The Clippers lost their second straight at home after they suffered a 28-point drubbing at the hands of Minnesota on Wednesday. They kept it close in the first quarter before the Rockets took control.

Takeaways Rockets: They had six players in double figures, with Jabari Smith Jr. having 13 points and 13 rebounds. Alperen Sengun had 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Clippers: They were already missing James Harden (sore right groin) when two more players went down. Amir Coffey sustained a right shoulder contusion in pre-game warmups and starter Derrick Jones Jr. left after the first quarter with right hamstring soreness. Their bench still outscored the Rockets' reserves, 38-21, but they were outdone 50-33 on the boards.

Key moment The Rockets ran off 12 straight points, including seven in a row by Green, near the end of the second quarter to lead 64-52 at halftime. They kept the Clippers in catch-up mode the rest of the game, with Houston stretching its lead to 16 points in the third.

Key stat The Rockets shot 49% from the floor and made 22 of 26 free throws.

Up next The Rockets host Golden State in an NBA Cup West quarterfinal on Wednesday. The Clippers visit Denver on Friday.

Regular Season Series

HOU leads series 3-0

Recent Plays

4th 0.0 End of Game 117 - 106
4th 0.0 End of the 4th Quarter 117 - 106
4th 17.1 Ivica Zubac makes free throw 2 of 2 117 - 106
4th 17.1 Clippers offensive team rebound 117 - 105
4th 17.1 Ivica Zubac misses free throw 1 of 2 117 - 105

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/hou.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originHOU https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/lac.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originLAC
40-82 FG 41-92
49 Field Goal % 45
15-41 3PT 11-34
37 Three Point % 32
22-26 FT 13-16
85 Free Throw % 81
50 Rebounds 33
12 Offensive Rebounds 7
38 Defensive Rebounds 26
23 Assists 21
4 Steals 11
4 Blocks 3
15 Turnovers 7
0 Team Turnovers 1
15 Total Turnovers 8
2 Technical Fouls 0
2 Total Technical Fouls 0
0 Flagrant Fouls 0
20 Points Conceded Off Turnovers 6
9 Fast Break Points 13
42 Points in Paint 60
16 Fouls 24
16 Largest Lead 5
LA Clippers LA Clippers Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Ivica Zubac, C Out Dec 21
Derrick Jones Jr., F Out Dec 20
Bradley Beal, G Out Nov 12
Houston Rockets Houston Rockets Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Dorian Finney-Smith, F Out Dec 3
Fred VanVleet, G Out Sep 22

Game Information

Intuit Dome

Location: Inglewood, CA
Attendance: 14,782 · Capacity:

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
San Antonio 22 7 .759 - W7
Houston 17 10 .630 4 L2
Memphis 14 16 .467 8.5 W1
Dallas 12 19 .387 11 W1
New Orleans 8 23 .258 15 L1

2025-26 Pacific Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
LA Lakers 19 9 .679 - L2
Phoenix 16 13 .552 3.5 W1
Golden State 15 15 .500 5 W2
LA Clippers 8 21 .276 11.5 W2
Sacramento 7 23 .233 13 L1
Full Standings

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