James Harden might not have dropped a monster game on the Clippers, but he got something even more important: the second win against his hometown Clippers in his tenure with the Rockets. Even as the clock ran down and the Rockets led by double digits, Los Angeles refused to submit, coming back to within four as Houston escaped with a precious victory. The turning point of a close game was a breakout run by the Rockets bench in the fourth quarter, creating a gap that was just too wide for the Clippers to overcome. Even when Harden is struggling, even when Dwight Howard is missing, even against a team that seems to have their number, the Rockets were able to put it together for a national audience.
As heartening as this victory was for the team, there are still causes for concern. The Clippers were also without Blake Griffin, and the Rockets still seem to have no answer for J.J. Redick. Houston was lucky that he only did 15 points worth of damage given that he shot 50% from deep (and overall). Chris Paul will always get his, and DeAndre Jordan’s demolition should be curtailed somewhat when Dwight Howard returns, but Redick is a savvy player without the ball and a ruthless shooter when he does touch it. It’s good to know that the Rockets are physically able to beat the Clippers, but they still would be a tough out in the post season. And, of course, they’re currently slated to be Houston’s first round opponent, because the Western Conference can never stop being ridiculous.
Corey Brewer and Josh Smith continued their reign of running and jumping, causing chaos and generally disrupting the Clippers’ game plans whenever they were on the court. Smith shot only 2-9, but his 9 points (barely) justified that many shots and his 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks were, as always, the more important part of his line. Seemingly freed from the onus to be a primary scorer, Josh Smith has become the bigger, tougher Leatherman style tool next to the sleek Swiss army knife that is Corey Brewer. Brewer scored 20 points on 17 shots, had 6 boards, 2 assists, a block and a steal to go along with them, and pushed the pace at every opportunity. The Clippers don’t mind pushing it at all, but Brewer was key to the backbreaking run by attacking before the defense was set. If he’d been on the Rockets all season long, he might be a serious contender for sixth man of the year.
Pablo Prigioni also played a few minutes due to a tightened rotation (which featured 8 players and a ghostly whiff of Joey Dorsey at 0 minutes with 0 stats in the box score), and his 16 minutes were critical to the team. He may only have shot 1-4, but the one he hit was a three, and a couple others were layups he somehow missed. He only notched 3 assists, but his 2 steals were a great boon, and his levelheaded play was important in that crucial bench run. He’s likely to get more minutes as he proves to head coach Kevin McHale just how cagey of a veteran he is.
Harden ended with a solid night after starting 0-6, and earned himself more than a few MVP chants by closing strong. 4-13 shooting isn’t exactly impressive, but with free throws his score ballooned to 21. His 10 assists showed that he moved into a facilitation mode most of the night, something that’s been increasingly important for a spotty Houston offense. The scariest Harden moment was when he jumped off of a turned ankle and rolled on the ground seemingly in agony. Whether due to ankles of steel or a penchant for embellishing injury, he got up, walked it off, and finished out the game. He may need a couple days to rest his ankle once he stops walking on it, but he was able to bury a nasty dagger late in the game despite clear discomfort. The beard does not go quietly.
Jason Terry was the lone member of the more-shots-than-points club in the starters, ending with 8 points on 10 shots. His three pointers have been iffy lately, but this is the nature of the three point shot. Terrence Jones was aggressive and came away with 14 points and 8 rebounds. His partner in the paint, Donatas Motiejunas, was stroking it from three point range (3-4) and came away with 18 points, 9 rebounds and some very good defensive plays. Trevor Ariza had a Trevor Ariza night, shooting 5-9 behind the arc, scoring 17, and providing 4 each of rebounds and assists. This was the kind of game the other starters needed to have, and hopefully a preview of how things will go in May.
A lot of things had to go right for the Rockets to beat the Clippers, but they happened, the Rockets won, and James Harden has some scant revenge. While questions about Dwight Howard’s return and longevity loom over the team, for now James Harden and an elite bench are enough to cruise against teams like the Clippers. The Rockets don’t want to lose that third seed, and tonight they distanced themselves a little more from the pack. They avenged their last loss to Los Angeles, and that’s good enough for today.
