The Beard is back! James Harden made amends for a subpar Game 1 by doing what he does best – attack and get to the line – in Game 2, as he led the Rockets to a 115-109 win. The series is now tied at 1-1 as action shifts to Los Angeles, where a certain Chris Paul could be ready to step back on the court.
Who will gain the edge in this gripping series? Read on below as we preview the Clippers-Rockets Game 3. Also, check out our preview of Friday’s other Game 3 between the Cavs vs. Bulls.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers Game 3 Preview
Series Scores and Schedule
Game 1 – Los Angeles Clippers 117 at Houston Rockets 101
Game 2 – Los Angeles Clippers 109 at Houston Rockets 115
Game 3 – May 8, 10:30 PM ET – Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers – view all NBA lines
Game 4 – May 10, 8:30 PM ET – Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers
Game 5 – May 12, TBD – Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets
Game 6* – May 14, TBD – Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers
Game 7* – May 17, TBD – Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets
*If necessary
Betting on the Houston Rockets
After going to the free throw line just six times in a pedestrian 20-point effort in Game 1, James Harden was back to his aggressive, MVP-caliber best in Game 2. He finished with a team-high 32 points and went a perfect 15-of-15 from the line to lead the Rockets to a 115-109 win.
[sc:NBA240banner ]The rest of the Rockets followed their leader’s example. They went 42-of-64 (65 percent) from the line as a team, 21 of those attempts coming from Dwight Howard alone. Free throw shooting aside (he’s shooting 40 percent from the line), Howard has been a force in this series. He’s averaging 23 points (on 70 percent shooting), 13 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in the first two games.
Having both of its superstars playing very well is a good sign for Houston as it travels to Los Angeles for Game 3. With Chris Paul likely to make his first appearance in the series, Harden and Howard must be on their A-game to steal a game on the road.
Similarly, the Rockets’ stellar defense must travel well. After getting lit up for 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting by Blake Griffin in the first half alone, the Rockets – led by Dwight Howard – adjusted accordingly and limited Griffin to just eight points on 2-of-9 shooting going forward. The Clippers’ offense stalled with him, scoring just 44 points in the second half.
The Rockets were sixth in the league in defensive efficiency during the regular season (100.5 points per 100 possessions), and should be more than capable of pulling off another solid defensive effort in LA.
The under is 9-1 in the Rockets’ last 10 road games against the Clippers.
Betting on the Los Angeles Clippers
The bad news: the Clippers squandered a golden opportunity to go up 2-0 in the series after coughing up a nine-point halftime lead. They also wasted another monster 34-point effort from Blake Griffin, who played 40 minutes for the seventh time in eight playoff games.
But here’s the good news: all-world point guard Chris Paul should be back after taking the first two games off to rest his injured hamstring. Plus, the Clippers should take heart from the fact that they were more than a match for the Rockets in both road games even without Paul, and will still be quite satisfied with a split heading back to LA.
Exactly how effectively Paul plays with that iffy hammy is still unknown, but even a hobbled Paul should still be an upgrade over Austin Rivers as a starter. That’s no knock on Rivers, who was serviceable in both games. He averaged 13.5 points, points that could now help bolster a Clipper bench that has been reduced to Jamal Crawford and a hobbled Big Baby Davis.
Griffin ran out of steam a bit in the second half of Game 2 and had trouble working through the Rockets’ double-teams, but Paul’s return should significantly lighten his load for Game 3. He won’t have to expend as much energy bringing the ball up the court, or be the predictable focal point of the offense. Griffin has been amazing through two games against Houston, averaging 30 points, 14.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists.
The Clippers are 7-3 (8-2 against the spread) in their last 10 meetings against the Rockets.
Writer’s Prediction
Paul’s return sparks the Clippers to a 110-105 home win in Game 3. Create a betting account now and spark a nice winning streak wagering on the NBA playoffs.
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