Jalen Green scored a game-high 21 points while Alperen Sengun chipped in a double-double and a late dunk that helped the Houston Rockets fend off the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 111-103 on Wednesday.
Houston opened the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run that yielded a 98-79 lead. The Clippers then went deep into their bench only for those reserves — Kobe Brown, Jordan Miller and Bones Hyland — to key a rally and close the deficit to 107-103 on two Hyland free throws with 1:42 left.
But Sengun (13 points, 11 rebounds) delivered his driving dunk before Tari Eason (18 points, 10 rebounds) added another in transition to seal the victory. Amen Thompson (18 points, 11 rebounds), like Eason, posted a double-double off the bench for Houston, which received 15 points, five rebounds and five assists from Fred VanVleet, who missed Monday’s win over the Wizards with an injury.
Houston produced a 59-42 rebounding advantage and scored 19 second-chance points.
James Harden led the Clippers with 19 points and seven assists while Terance Mann added 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Norman Powell scored 13 points but missed 13 of 18 shots.
The Clippers’ scorching start yielded a double-digit lead before the halfway mark of the first quarter. When Harden completed a four-point play with 7:02 left in the period, it capped a 5-for-5 start from deep for the Clippers, who extended to an 11-point lead before Houston roared back.
The Rockets’ 12-0 run late in the first offset that run of 9-0 by the Clippers, with Thompson and VanVleet playing roles in the waning moments that allowed Houston to pull even at 28-28 entering the second, during which the momentum swings continued.
Amir Coffey and Mann teamed for 14 points off the bench and a transition alley-oop that pushed the Clippers to a 45-43 lead at the 7:25 mark. The Rockets responded with back-to-back 3s from VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. VanVleet delivered a 3-pointer and driving layup down the stretch to supply the Rockets a 61-56 lead at the intermission, closing a half that featured 10 lead changes and nine ties and included the teams shooting a combined 19 for 39 from deep.
Eason scored eight points during a 10-2 run that closed the third quarter.
–Field Level Media
