Clippers at Rockets
The Los Angeles Clippers look to advance to the Western Conference
finals for the first time in franchise history when they visit the
Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the semifinal series. Los Angeles has
pounded Houston by an average of 29 points over the last two games to
take a 3-1 lead while thoroughly demoralizing the Rockets.
Houston has no answer on the defensive end as the Clippers are averaging 119.5 points in the series after posting a 128-95 victory on Sunday. “This is the ultimate adversity right now,” Rockets guard James Harden told reporters. “We’ve got Game 5 back at the house and it’s really win or go home. Our backs are against the wall and we’ve got to show up.” The Clippers are the first team to win back-to-back games in a playoff series by at least 25 points since the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001 and are rolling on all cylinders. “I think we realize as a team what we’re capable of when we play the right way,” power forward Blake Griffin told reporters. “It’s just a matter of coming out and playing the right way.”
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS: The hamstring injury to Chris Paul was thought to be a deterrent to Los Angeles winning the series, and it split two games without him before dominating the two he has played. Paul has only had to play an average of 24.5 minutes due to the two routs and now coach Doc Rivers is less than concerned with his point guard’s health and more interested in his team continuing its strong play. “I think right now, honestly, they just have great focus,” Rivers told reporters. “They’re not thinking about a lot of stuff, but doing their jobs and trying to win the game.”
ABOUT THE ROCKETS: Standout guard James Harden scored a quiet 21 points in Game 4 and has failed to be a difference-maker despite a 24.5 average in the four games. The runner-up in MVP balloting has been bottled up for long stretches by the Clippers and is growing more and more frustrated as the scores get out of hand. “We’re not really moving,” Harden told reporters. “We’re not really moving on the offensive end. We’re pretty much stagnant, so it makes it easier for them to kind of load up and play their normal defense.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Griffin had 21 points and eight rebounds in Game 4 to snap a streak of 10 straight double-doubles this postseason.
2. Houston C Dwight Howard was dreadful in Game 4 with seven points and six rebounds while fouling out in 18 minutes.
3. Clippers SG J.J. Redick is 9-for-13 from 3-point range over the past two games.