Los Angeles Clippers vs. Houston Rockets: Postgame Grades and Analysis
Blake Griffin registered his third triple-double of the postseason, lifting the Los Angeles Clippers to a stunning 117-101 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday at the Toyota Center.
Los Angeles took a 1-0 series advantage in the Western Conference Semifinals matchup, despite Chris Paul's absence. The point guard was unavailable due to a hamstring injury sustained in Game 7 of Los Angeles' first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs.
Paul's status is not clear for Game 2 against Houston, per ESPN.com's Arash Markazi.
Houston's turnovers cost the team dearly, since Los Angeles turned the 23 giveaways into 34 points. The Clippers dished out 31 assists, compared to just 24 for the Rockets.
Los Angeles outscored Houston 71-51 during the second half, including a 16-8 advantage over the final three minutes of the game.
| Blake Griffin | A+ |
| DeAndre Jordan | A- |
| J.J. Redick | B |
| Austin Rivers | B |
| Rest of Team | B+ |
| James Harden | C+ |
| Dwight Howard | B+ |
| Terrence Jones | D+ |
| Trevor Ariza | B- |
| Rest of Team | C+ |
Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin: A+
With or without CP3, Griffin needs to carry a massive load for Los Angeles to have a chance in the series—just like he did against the Spurs. Fortunately for the Clips, Griffin stepped up once again.
He racked up 26 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, lifting a short-handed roster to a massive upset. Houston does't match up well with Griffin, so he can—and must—continue this type of dominance.
DeAndre Jordan: A-
DeAndre Jordan battled Dwight Howard all night long yet still managed to impact the game in multiple facets. Jordan tallied 10 points, 13 boards, five assists, four blocks and two steals.
Perhaps his best series of the night featured a tremendous assist in the pick-and-roll for a Matt Barnes three, followed by an emphatic swat of James Harden that led to a Jamal Crawford triple, giving Los Angeles an 11-point lead with 5:20 remaining.
J.J. Redick: B
Somewhat surprisingly, Houston didn't surrender many uncontested looks to J.J. Redick. Jason Terry did an excellent job of keeping the sharpshooter contained through the first 24 minutes.
Redick managed to shake loose a few times, particularly when Terry exited the floor. The Clippers' X-factor netted 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting.
Austin Rivers: B
Austin Rivers wasn't a perfect answer as CP3's replacement, but the spot starter made another big contribution.
After being a non-factor for much of the first half, Rivers converted on a trio of three-pointers in the latter periods. He accounted for 17 points, four steals and three assists.
Rest of Team: B+
Although Crawford wasn't efficient, he provided the second-unit scoring Los Angeles needed. The sixth man committed six turnovers but finished 8-of-18 from the field for 21 points.
Barnes, on the other hand, was tremendously efficient. The small forward tickled the twine on eight of his 11 attempts, scoring 20 points to ease the pressure on the team's terribly thin bench—excluding Crawford, that is.
Glen Davis, Hedo Turkoglu and Lester Hudson combined to log just 19 minutes.
Houston Rockets
James Harden: C+
Though Harden wasn't active at the free-throw line, he incited plenty of damage as a passer—but caused his fair share of difficulty, too. Harden dished out 12 assists, but he coughed up the rock nine times.
Los Angeles held the MVP runner-up without a field goal for 15-plus minutes during the second half, earning a 50-34 advantage in that stretch. Harden ended his night with 20 points.
Dwight Howard: B+
Howard recorded a team-high 22 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, but the Rockets generally won't win when the center is the top performer.
At this point, Howard is a stellar complement but not the featured player. Without an MVP-worthy showing from Harden and a poor outing from the rest of the frontcourt, Howard simply kept Houston in contention.
Terrence Jones: D+
Monday wasn't Terrence Jones' night. The power forward struggled on both ends of the floor, consistently misfiring as a shooter and failing to stop Griffin from facilitating the Los Angeles attack.
Jones trudged to a 1-of-6 clip in 16 minutes of action, earning a spot on the bench throughout the final 18 minutes. Granted, Josh Smith (3-of-12) wasn't much better in Jones' place, either.
Trevor Ariza: B-
If Trevor Ariza matches up defensively with Matt Barnes for the whole series, the Houston small forward could key the series from a lesser-discussed area. Ariza started strong, knocking down his first four shots—two of which were triples—and a free throw for 11 quick points.
However, he missed a few wide-open jumpers that would've sparked an otherwise-deflated crowd. Ariza tallied 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Rest of Team: C+
Pablo Prigioni buried three of five attempts from long distance, while Terry connected on a pair of triples and supplied respectable defense. Clint Capela managed two points, three rebounds and a block in six decent minutes.
But Corey Brewer put together a forgettable night. The backup ended up 3-of-12 from the floor, clanging all five three-point attempts and committing three turnovers.
What's Next?
Game 2 is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 6, again at the Toyota Center in Houston. TNT will broadcast the contest.
The Clippers are seeking their first-ever appearance in the Western Conference Finals, while the Rockets hope to earn that spot for the first time since the 1996-97 campaign.
Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
