Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers: Postgame Grades and Analysis
The Los Angeles Clippers won their second straight game without Blake Griffin (staph infection) Wednesday night, downing the Houston Rockets 110-95 behind a strong fourth quarter and 20-point, 20-rebound performance from DeAndre Jordan.
The Rockets, who entered the night with the most three-pointers made in the league, finished 9-of-45 from deep, a stat that highlighted a laundry list of offensive struggles. James Harden was held to nine points as L.A. pulled away in the final quarter.
Six Clippers scored in double digits, as the team capitalized on the balanced effort, despite trading blows with Houston through the first three quarters. ESPN's Arash Markazi shared coach Doc Rivers' comments, describing his team's collective effort:
| Chris Paul | C+ |
| DeAndre Jordan | A |
| J.J. Redick | A |
| Jamal Crawford | B |
| Rest of Team | B- |
| James Harden | C |
| Josh Smith | A- |
| Trevor Ariza | C- |
| Corey Brewer | A |
| Rest of Team | D |
Los Angeles Clippers
Chris Paul: C+
He may be without his pick-and-roll partner, but it was nonetheless a surprisingly weak night for Chris Paul who, contrary to speculation, wasn't the one to step up and fill Griffin's void as a scorer.
He filled up the assists column (12) in classic CP3 fashion, but he also logged five turnovers and struggled with his shot, going 4-of-14 for 12 points. ESPN.com's J.A. Adalande described Paul's effort as the "worse passing game" he had seen from him:
When L.A. made its runs, it was often due to the leads set by the teams' two shooting guards, not Paul.
DeAndre Jordan: A
Rivers noted that he felt it was a "travesty" that Jordan was not on the All-Star team," per Markazi:
Without Griffin, DeAndre Jordan has assumed greater responsibilities. He has also received greater focus from opposing defenses. As he showed against Houston, neither was going to break the groove that he has established thus far into his breakout season.
Jordan was extremely active on both ends of the floor, providing his classic rebounding and defensive services while assuming a greater offensive role. He finished with a game-high 24 points on 6-of-8 shooting and got to the free-throw line consistently, taking a career-high 26 shots from the stripe. However, he struggled from the line, making just 12 of his attempts.
His free-throw struggles caused Houston to deploy a Hack-a-Jordan strategy as a last-minute effort to make a comeback, and while he wasn't perfect, he consistently made at least one. In the end, he offered consistent, positive contributions, adding 20 rebounds including eight on the offensive end. The Orange County Register's Dan Woike highlighted how well Jordan played:
J.J. Redick: A
From the opening whistle, J.J. Redick established himself as the Clippers' premier offensive option. Going 4-of-5 without shooting a three in the first quarter, Redick showed the offensive versatility that many forget he has.
He began letting it fly from long range in the second quarter, ultimately finishing with 20 points—the majority of which came from within the arc.
His scrappy defense on Harden kept the Rockets' superstar in check, as Redick—often considered a three-point specialist—showed his range of abilities. Redick jokingly said he should be on the "12th-team All-Defense," per the Los Angeles Times' Eric Pincus:
Jamal Crawford: B
Jamal Crawford has the ability to completely take over a game. Unfortunately, that skill is only on display at select times. Though Crawford came alive in the fourth quarter, he stumbled through the first three, opening the game shooting 1-of-7 before he began to catch fire. Bleacher Report's Fred Katz simply described Crawford's performance as "classic":
In the final period, Crawford scored 12 of his 20 points, including nine in the quarter's first five minutes. He was responsible for building the lead that L.A. rode to victory, and despite his struggles through the majority of the game, the difference he made in that fourth-quarter stretch ultimately compensated.
Rest of Team: B-
Matt Barnes is often the subject of much scrutiny as the obvious weak link in the Clippers' (healthy) starting five. Even so, he has developed a reputation for being a high-energy role player capable of doing all the little things that bring a team success.
Against Houston, that was exactly what we saw. Barnes infiltrated passing lanes on defense and drew pressure away from the team's top scorers on offense. Finishing with a balanced stat line of 10 points, nine rebounds and four steals, Barnes' night was only tainted by his four turnover total.
Rounding out the starting lineup was Spencer Hawes, who stepped in for Griffin. He was solid, adding 12 points, but he hardly filled Griffin's shoes.
Only Austin Rivers and Glen Davis logged significant minutes off the bench, with the duo combining for 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
Houston Rockets
James Harden: C
After posting two straight games with 40-plus points, James Harden's Thursday night performance was especially disappointing.
Bothered by Redick's defense, Harden shot just 3-of-12 from the floor and an atrocious 0-of-7 from deep as he posted just nine points, struggling to find any groove whatsoever. Nonetheless, he continued to get his teammates involved—playing a greater role in the passing game than his six-assists total would suggest.
Nonetheless, it was an underwhelming night for Harden, especially given the standards he has recently set for his play.
Josh Smith: A-
When Josh Smith first entered the game off the bench, his impact was immediately felt. The mid-year addition left his mark in every facet of the game, totaling five points, four rebounds and three assists in his opening minutes.
As the game progressed, he built upon each of those statistics, ending the night with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.
His ability to get the Rockets' other players involved early was crucial given Harden's early struggles, and the energy that he brought to the defensive end also played a large role in the Rockets' ability to maintain a competitive edge until the final quarter, despite poor three-point shooting.
Trevor Ariza: C-
Trevor Ariza may have posted 13 points, but he did so on an ugly 4-of-13 shooting (1-of-9 from deep). What made it worse was the fact that his inefficient shooting came on mostly uncontested looks. Ariza wasn't bothered by elite defense. He was simply slumping through the entire contest.
He did post seven rebounds, but his inability to get things going as a shooter ultimately helped to doom Houston, which saw the majority of its players struggle in similar fashion.
Corey Brewer: A
Houston's bench was far more impressive than that of L.A., and Smith wasn't the only reason why. Corey Brewer ignited the offense from the second unit, scoring at an efficient 8-of-15 clip, while the other Rockets struggled to find the rim. Play-by-play announcer Craig Ackerman highlighted Smith and Brewer's significant contributions:
He was able to create shots for himself and scored in a variety ways. He kept the defense on its toes with a handful of explosive drives to the rack. He also went 2-of-5 from deep.
Totaling a team-high 22 points on the night, Brewer—another one of Houston's midseason additions—did all the little things and finished with a big night.
Rest of Team: D
Donatas Motiejunas was the only other Rocket to post double digits, but after a hot start, he quickly cooled down in the second half. Motiejunas first-half performance led Bleacher Report's Michael Pina to begin thinking monetarily:
Patrick Beverley—the team's fifth starter—struggled throughout the night, going 3-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-9 from deep, exacerbating Houston's shooting woes.
The bench—outside of Smith and Brewer—was equally inefficient, though Kostas Papanikolaou got his teammates involved, despite shooting a 1-of-5 clip himself.
Up Next
Neither the Clippers nor the Rockets will play again before the All-Star break, with Los Angeles next drawing the San Antonio Spurs on February 19. Houston plays the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas on February 20.
During All-Star Weekend, a handful of players on both teams will make appearances. For Los Angeles, Paul will participate in the All-Star Game. Griffin was also selected but will be unable to play. Redick will appear in the Three-Point Contest.
For Houston, Harden will make an appearance in the All-Star Game. Patrick Beverley has been selected as an injury-replacement for the Skills Challenge.
