Houston Rockets humiliate the Los Angeles Clippers 99-78 – NBA Recap
The Houston Rockets rout the Los Angeles Clippers 99-78 at Toyota Centre, Houston, on Saturday night. Though the Rockets failed to register a place in the National Basketball Association play-offs, this win has broken their two-game skid and will finish
the season as a winning team.
Chuck Hayes led the Rockets with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Both Kevin Martin and Brad Miller contributed 16 points, five assists and five rebounds for the Rockets.
The Clippers tipped-off swiftly, as they were 0-6 within early two minutes of play. The Rockets came out tearing their sleeping suits, scorched the Clippers with a 15-4 blitz and quickly advanced to 15-10. The Rockets went on to lead the first quarter by
25-18. Kevin Martin scored 10 points and was the top scorer from the Rockets during the period.
Seven points down, the Clippers came out in search of the lead. They came close on a few occasions but failed to capitalise. Later in the seventh minute, Houston reeled a 20-4 run that washed away all the hard work of the Clippers’ attack, who were trying
to stay within the striking distance. The Clippers finished the second quarter 16 points behind the Rockets, as the scores were 53-37. Chase Budinger counted seven points for Houston.
In the third quarter, the Clippers gathered their defence and restricted the Rockets to just 21 points. This time their attack let them down, as they were able to tally just 18 points. The Rockets sailed smoothly throughout the third and secured another
quarter in their favour, as they led the Clippers by 74-55. The Clippers failed to reach the 20 point mark in first three quarters.
The Rockets did not let the momentum slip away and went for the kill. They glided throughout the fourth quarter and maintained the double figure lead. In the last 15 seconds Clippers’ Brian Cook made a shooting foul and Jordan Hill managed to hit a free
throw which sealed the victory for the Rockets by a huge margin of 21 points.
In this game, the Rockets were missing Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola due to injuries, despite of this, six of their players made it into the double figures. Budinger made 16 points and notched nine boards to match his season-high-rebounds. Goran Dragic who was
obtained from Phoenix Suns, added 14 points, seven assists and a career-high 10 boards in his first start for the Rockets.
From the Clippers side, Eric Gordon scored game-high 19 points and his team-mate Blake Griffin scored 13 points and 10 rebounds. Griffin went 6 for 18 from the field, as he was struggling big time against Hayes, Houston's top interior defender. Hayes guarded
him in most part of the game and kept the major element of the Clippers' offence away.
Up next the Clippers will meet the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, while the Rockets will face the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
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