HOUSTON – Rockets fans got all the drama they could’ve hoped for in James Harden’s latest return to Houston!
On Thursday night, the Houston Rockets hosted the Los Angeles Clippers at the Toyota Center in Houston.
In a game that went back and forth between the first and final buzzers, the Rockets did just enough to escape with a dramatic 115-113 win.
With a 110-110 tie in the final minute, the Toyota Center was on its feet as the Rockets dribbled the ball. After a chaotic sequence of misses and offensive boards, Amen Thompson finally corralled the ball and put in an and-one layup, giving Houston a lead they would hold onto through a dramatic final few seconds.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets in scoring, finishing with 22 points. Thompson had 20, Jabari Smith Jr. added 18, and Kevin Durant had 16 after scoring just three in the first half.
Ivica Zubac had a great game for Los Angeles, scoring 33 points. Kawhi Leonard had 24, and James Harden had 22.
The matchup marked the first of four games between the two Western Conference teams this season. They’ll face off again in Los Angeles on Dec. 23.
GAME RECAP
The first and second quarters looked like two entirely different games, as a first-quarter shootout quickly cooled into a defensive rock-fight through the second stanza.
Early scoring by Houston’s Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. was quickly countered by L.A.’s Kawhi Leonard and James Harden in the opening period. At the end of the first, the teams were knotted at 29.
In the second quarter, both teams seemed to settle in defensively. Houston started with a 9-0 run, but the Clippers inched closer and closer until they tied it back up at 42 with under five minutes to play in the half. Ivica Zubac scored seven points in the final minute and a half, and the Clippers took a 54-51 lead into the locker room.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets in scoring at the half with 13 points, while Smith Jr. added nine. Durant had an uncharacteristically quiet half, scoring just three points on 1-of-7 shooting. Zubac and Leonard both had double digits, scoring 14 and 12 respectively. Harden had nine at the break.
Durant woke up in the third quarter, scoring 13 points after his slow start. The teams kept the score close throughout the entire third, and Josh Okogie converted a tough layup at the buzzer to bring the Rockets within two. Clippers led, 82-80 after three.
In the early stages of the fourth quarter, Houston finally regained the lead with a three from Aaron Holiday. On the Clippers’ next possession, Amen Thompson stole the ball and threw down a dunk in transition. Reed Sheppard drilled a corner three on Houston’s next possession to make it 10 straight points for the Rockets. Houston led, 88-82.
Thompson was part of some crafty assists from there, but buckets from Harden and Leonard kept the Rockets’ lead from getting out of reach. Leonard made a fast break layup to tie the game at 101 with just over four minutes to play.
From there, two midrange floaters by Sengun helped the Rockets stay in front, and a Zubac free throw made the score 110-107, Rockets, with just over a minute left.
Harden buried a three to tie the game at 110.
With less than 30 seconds left, the crowd at the Toyota Center was on its feet, as Durant dribbled the ball. The Rockets missed a shot, but Thompson got a rebound and put in a layup, and a foul was called. He splashed the free throw, and Houston led, 113-110.
With 17 seconds left, Zubac was fouled on a Clippers inbound, and he made a free throw to make it 113-111. When Smith Jr. rebounded the free throw, he threw an elbow that connected with Kris Dunn’s face. Following two stoppages for an official review for a flagrant foul (called a common foul) and a Rockets challenge of the foul call (unsuccessful challenge, common foul upheld), Smith Jr. was ejected from the game.
With the score still 113-111, Leonard got the ball off the inbound. He drove to the right into the Rockets’ paint and gave Holiday a shove with his left arm. The refs blew the whistle and called an offensive foul. The Clippers challenged the call unsuccessfully, and the Rockets took possession.
Holiday was fouled with 8.7 seconds left. He made one of his two free throws, and Houston led by three. On the Clippers’ inbound pass, Nic Batum stepped over the line and the Rockets got the ball. Sengun made one of his free throws, and that was all she wrote. Rockets won by two!
Breaking News Alerts
More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter
Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.