Rockets at Clippers
The Houston Rockets racked up 140 points while routing the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season and look to enjoy another high-octane performance when the teams meet in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Star guard James Harden scored 30 points in December's 24-point victory over the Clippers, who allowed an average of 116.3 points over their last three games.
Houston lost for just the second time in eight games when it fell 117-108 to the Indiana Pacers on Monday as it let a 17-point second-quarter lead slip away. The Rockets shot a season-worst 36.4 percent from the field and connected on just 10-of-45 3-point attempts in the defeat. The Clippers are fifth in the West -- one game behind the fourth-place Utah Jazz -- but coach Doc Rivers insists he doesn't know where his team stands. "I can honestly tell you I haven't looked at the standings," Rivers said. "To me, once we had all the injuries and dropped games, to me it's all about just being right for the playoffs and being healthy and having good rhythm."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, ROOT (Houston), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (42-19): Houston allowed 39 points in the second quarter against Indiana in a horrific stanza that disappointed both Harden and coach Mike D'Antoni. "I told them, 'They don't give championships up there for guys who just show up, you've got to go get it,'" D'Antoni told reporters. "A champion has a heart, a big heart ... and we haven't shown that lately." Backup guard Lou Williams scored 28 points against the Pacers and is averaging 24 points in three games since being acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (36-23): Point guard Chris Paul was just 4-of-18 shooting Sunday's 124-121 overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets in his second game since returning from a thumb injury that sidelined him five-plus weeks. Paul, who scored 15 points, more than made up for the dismal shooting by recording 17 assists without a single turnover. The outing marked the sixth time - most in NBA history -- that Paul had at least 15 points and 15 assists and zero turnovers in the same contest.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets won five of the past seven regular-season meetings.
2. Los Angeles PF Blake Griffin scored a season-best 43 points against Charlotte and is averaging 36 points over the past two games.
3. Houston has scored 100 or more points in 47 consecutive games, matching the franchise record set in 1969-70 when the team was located in San Diego.