No Chris Paul, no problem. The Los Angeles Clippers overcame a slow start to take Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinal series against the Rockets, 117-101. But Houston should be ready to fire back after getting caught off guard by Blake Griffin and co. Can the Clippers ride their momentum to take Game 2? Or will the Rockets rebound to keep things interesting? Read on for a complete preview for this explosive Western clash.
Over in the East, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are also in action on Wednesday night. Check out our complete preview for Game 2 of the Bulls vs. Cavs.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Los Angeles Clippers vs. Houston Rockets Game 2 Preview
Series Scores and Schedule
Game 1 – Los Angeles Clippers 117 at Houston Rockets 101
Game 2 – May 6, 9:30 PM ET – Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets – view all NBA lines
Game 3 – May 8, 10:30 PM ET – Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers
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 Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin is a monster. He had 26 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists for his second straight triple-double on Monday night. With Chris Paul possibly sitting out again in Game 2, expect Griffin to still be the Clippers’ leader on the court. Griffin is averaging 22.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and eight assists in three games against the Rockets dating back to the regular season.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Griffin won’t have to carry too much of the load with the rest of the Clippers chipping in. Austin Rivers had 17 big points on 5-of-12 shooting (4-of-6 from downtown) filling-in for Paul. Matt Barnes and J.J. Redick had 20 and 17 points respectively.
Jamal Crawford added 21 points off the bench, just seven points shy of the whole Rockets bench combined. He now has 14 career 20-point games as a reserve in postseason play. Crawford has been inconsistent in these playoffs – he’s got four games of 15 points or more and four games of 11 points or less – but his production off the bench is vital for the Clippers. They’re a perfect 4-0 when he goes for 15 or more in the playoffs.
What helped seal the game for the Clippers was their excellent night from downtown. Los Angeles tied the NBA playoff record for made three-pointers in a half after hitting 11-of-16 in the second half. The Clippers did so against the Rockets’ three-point defense (32.3 percent) which was the best in the league during the regular season. The more that Griffin can dominate inside, the more room the Clippers’ sharpshooters will have to make some timely threes.
The Clippers are 9-1 SU/ATS in their last 10 games on the road dating back to the regular season.
Betting on the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets don’t usually lose when James Harden reaches the 20-point, 10-assist mark. Heading into Game 1, the Rockets were 27-2 when Harden reached those magic numbers. Well, Harden had 20 points and 12 assists in Game 1, but they weren’t nearly enough to prevent a shock Rockets home loss. His nine turnovers, which matched his season-high, also didn’t help.
Harden struggled the most when defended by Los Angeles’ Redick or Barnes. He scored seven points on 2-of-8 shooting and committed six turnovers in those situations.
But Harden also lacked the same aggressiveness that saw him finish second in the MVP voting. He took only 13 total shots (reserves Corey Brewer and Josh Smith each had 12), and went to the line just six times. The Rockets will need the Harden who averaged 28 points and took 10 free throws per game in the Dallas series to return and reassert himself more in Game 2.
The production off their bench also wasn’t quite up to par. Brewer and Smith combined for just 20 points on 6-of-24 (25 percent) shooting after averaging 31.8 points per game and shooting over 50 percent against the Mavs. The Rockets can’t afford to receive so little from their top reserves, especially against the Clippers’ notoriously shallow bench.
On the bright side, their other superstar, Dwight Howard looked great as he led Houston with 22 points and 10 rebounds. He also came up with five big blocks to deny the Clippers from scoring in the paint. The Rockets outscored Los Angeles 50-40 in the shaded area. Howard still needs help, but it bodes well for the Rockets’ chances if they can receive that same type of production from him going forward.
Houston is 3-7 SU/ATS in its last 10 games against the Clippers.
Writer’s Prediction
The Clippers finally slowdown as Houston evens up the series. Got a different take? Create a betting account now and put your pick to the test.
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