Clippers Look to Eliminate Rockets in Game 6 at Home
On Thursday night, the Los Angeles Clippers will host the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of their best of seven NBA Western Conference semifinal series. The Clippers lead the series 3-2 and get their second opportunity to eliminate the Rockets.
The Clippers could have closed out the series in Houston on Tuesday night but lost to the Rockets by 21 points.
Head coach Doc Rivers said his Clippers may not have had the urgency to win as it was the Rockets who were the ones trying to stave off elimination down 3-1 in the series two days ago.
The Clippers have never reach the Western Conference Finals and will get another opportunity to do so on Thursday, but must play as if it were the seventh game as they do not want to return to the Toyota Center in Houston and face the Rockets in a seventh game having lost two straight.
The Rockets won Game 5 by the score of 124-103 behind the fine play of James Harden who recorded his first triple double in the playoffs, while the Clippers had a hard time keeping pace at both ends of the court.
The Rockets led by as much as 23 points, despite a great effort from Blake Griffin. The Clippers power forward scored 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Point guard Chris Paul added 22 points while dishing out 10 assists.
However, J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes combined to shoot just 6 for 30 on the night.
The health of the Clippers is something that needs to be watched in this game. Paul still has an issue with his hamstring and Barnes has a banged up ankle and shoulder. Austin Rivers was in a great deal of pain after falling on his hip in Game 5 and Glen Davis continues with a sore ankle.
The worry is how Austin Rivers feels on the day of the game with what has been diagnosed as a hip pointer.
Role players have played a big part in the series. Austin Rivers was big for the Clippers through Game 4, while in Game 5 Houston was helped by Trevor Ariza’s 22 points and a combined 27 from Terrence Jones and Corey Brewer.
Griffin is first, second or third in points, rebounds and assists amongst all players in the postseason. Paul has 2 turnovers or less in each of the games, he has played in this series.
Coach Rivers said his Clippers must get to more loose balls. Teams that lead 3-1 in a best of seven series have won the series 96.5% of the time, losing just 8 series in NBA history.
