With a very short-handed roster, the young Houston Rockets (10-33) had their losing streak hit a season-high 10 games in Sunday’s 121-100 road loss (box score) to the Los Angeles Clippers (23-22). The visitors have lost 15 of their last 16 games, overall.
Jalen Green and Jae’Sean Tate did not play in Sunday’s game due to the NBA’s announcement of a one-game suspension related to their role in an on-court altercation Friday night in Sacramento. Kevin Porter Jr. missed a second straight game with a left foot contusion.
As with many recent games, Houston was competitive until bench minutes late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, which is when the Clippers pulled away. Los Angeles was led by Kawhi Leonard and Terance Mann, who each broke 30 points in combining for 61 points on 24-of-40 shooting (60.0%) and 8-of-13 on 3-pointers (61.5%). Both players had 6 rebounds and 4 assists apiece, as well.
The Clippers outscored Houston, 30-10, in a decisive fourth quarter. Key statistics for the Rockets in Sunday’s game included:
- Eric Gordon: Season-high 24 points, 8-of-16 shooting (50%), 7-of-8 free throws (87.5%) in 30 minutes
- KJ Martin: 22 points, 9-of-14 shooting (64.3%), 9 rebounds in 33 minutes
- Alperen Sengun: 15 points, 7-of-12 shooting (58.3%), 1-of-1 from 3-point range, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 turnovers in 30 minutes
- Tari Eason: 11 points, 5-of-6 shooting (83.3%), 4 rebounds, 3 steals in 20 minutes
Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interview reaction from Crypto.com Arena. Next up for Houston, as its four-game West Coast road trip concludes, is Monday’s second game of a Los Angeles back-to-back versus the Lakers. Tipoff is at 9:30 p.m. Central.