Tuesday, December 23, the Rockets (17-9) enter their fifth road game in a six away-game stretch against the Los Angeles Clippers (7-21).
When: Tuesday, December 23 @ 9:30 PM CT
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood
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Where to watch:
NBC
Space City Home Network (local)
YouTubeTV (with subscription)
Sling Tv (with subscription)
Peacock (with subscription)
subject to local blackouts
The Rockets walk in Tuesday coming off a devastating overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings, one of the league’s lower-ranking teams. While Houston seemed to have control for much of the first half, the third quarter was all about that third-quarter Houston slip that’s becoming all too familiar to fans- and the rest of the league.
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The Clippers, however, are entering their home building with a shocking win against the Los Angeles Lakers (19-8) on Saturday, breaking a five-game losing streak. The Clippers came out hot, dominating the Lakers from the jump, outscoring them 28-15 in the first quarter. The Lakers struggled to find looks all night against a tightened Clippers defense. The Clippers went into the break leading by 15, and the Lakers never recovered.
Houston’s recent stretch has been strange. They’ve shown the ability to rise against elite competition, but keep stumbling against teams they should put away. While Houston did take the Denver Nuggets 115-104 on Saturday, they seem to keep losing the easy ones as of late. In New Orleans just last week, in another brutal overtime showdown, the Rockets lost to the Pelicans- the one of the league’s lowest-ranked teams after blowing a 25-point lead. It goes without saying, this was another contest that turned from cakewalk to second-half slip.
Concerns are ringing everywhere on the Rockets’ suddenly fleeting ability to close against lesser opponents. Tuesday’s game will tell us if Houston’s recent losses have been unfortunate blips or if a real and concerning problem is emerging around their ability to close.