After a couple of short weeks, the NBA on NBC is back with back-to-back nights of back-to-back games this Christmas week. The action kicks off on Monday exclusively on Peacock, and continues with Coast 2 Coast Tuesday the following night on NBC and Peacock. It all wraps up with a late game live from Los Angeles. 

How to Watch

Watch NBA on NBC on NBC and streaming on Peacock. 

This week’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday finale sees the Houston Rockets, putting on a solid show so far this season with former league MVP and perennial All-Star Kevin Durant leading the way, heading to California to face a game LA Clippers squad fighting to get back into contention. Which team will come out on top? Here’s how you can watch and find out.

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How can you watch the Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers NBA game on Coast 2 Coast Tuesday?

On December 23, NBA on NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday kicks off at 8 p.m. ET with the Denver Nuggets at the Dallas Mavericks. Then, immediately following that matchup, the Western Conference action continues in Los Angeles, when the Clippers and the Rockets tip off at 10:30 p.m. Both games will air live on NBC and stream simultaneously on Peacock. 

What to expect from the Rockets vs. Clippers game on December 23

The Rockets are coming into this matchup on a hot streak, having put together a record solid enough to place them in competition with the mighty (this season, anyway) San Antonio Spurs for the lead in the Western Conference’s Southwest division. Now in his 19th season in the league, Durant has proven he still has what it takes to lead a team, emerging as Houston’s top scorer and a top scorer in the league as well. But he’s not alone. The Rockets’ young center Alperen Sengun has also been a leader, establishing himself as one of the league’s best passers, rebounders, and scorers. Though they may not have the record of, say, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Rockets have emerged with one of the best offenses and defenses in the league right now, and they’re definitely looking ahead to the playoffs.

By contrast, the Clippers, though full of talent, are still struggling. They’re one of the teams battling to rise from the bottom of the Western Conference standings right now, which isn’t a great place to be, and their stars have faced injury issues. Former league MVP and 11-time All-Star James Harden, the team’s leading scorer and passer, has stepped aside for recent games with a calf injury, and the Clippers can only hope that he’s back in shape for this matchup. Then there’s Bradley Beal, who went down a few games into the season and won’t be back until the 2026-2027 campaign. It’s a tough time for the Clippers, who’ve had to lean even harder on yet another former league MVP, Kawhi Leonard, for points lately. But on national TV, in front of a hometown crowd, anything can happen.

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Who’s calling the Rockets vs. Clippers game on December 23?

NBC Sports is bringing its top-tier broadcasting talent to the fore for this Western Conference matchup. Tuesday night’s game will feature play-by-play from Terry Gannon, analysis and commentary by NBA legend Reggie Miller, and courtside reporting from Grant Liffmann. 

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