Rookie big man Alperen Sengun impressed with 15 points in only 16 minutes on 5-of-8 shooting (62.5%), but it wasn’t enough for Houston in Sunday’s 99-98 home loss (box score) to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The young and rebuilding Rockets (15-45), who have the NBA’s worst defense on the 2021-22 season to date, had their best defensive effort in some time. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome a cold-shooting night from the starting backcourt of Dennis Schroder and Jalen Green.
Schroder had 11 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds, but he shot just 4-of-15 (26.7%) from the field. Green scored 10 points but shot just 4-of-18 (22.2%), and one of those misses was a 3-pointer in the closing seconds that would have tied the game at Toyota Center.
Kevin Porter Jr., Houston’s usual starter at point guard, did not play due to a sprained left ankle. He is considered day-to-day moving forward.
The Clippers were led by point guard Reggie Jackson (26 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists) and big man Ivica Zubac (14 points, 15 rebounds, 6 blocks). Those blocks included a rejection of Houston’s Christian Wood in the final 20 seconds on a driving attempt to tie the game.
#Rockets Christian Wood was asked if he thought he was fouled on that late block by Zubac (16.1 left, Hou down 97-95, was called a PF, but overturned on replay challenge), "I did, but they saw it differently." Zubac had a career high 6 blocks tonight. pic.twitter.com/4AaNg5ZShv
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) February 28, 2022
Wood had 15 points (50.0% FG) and 7 rebounds in his 32 minutes, and he closed the game despite Sengun’s offense off the bench. The Rockets stayed competitive with defense and hot shooting from their second unit, with Sengun flanked by Garrison Mathews (17 points, 4-of-8 on 3-pointers) and Kenyon Martin (10 points, 3-of-3 on 3-pointers).
With the loss, Houston has lost nine straight games, which is their second-longest losing streak of the season. The Clippers (32-31) have won three straight. Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction.