HOUSTON — Kawhi Leonard leads the Clippers to a strong second half against the Rockets, 116-112.
Kawhi Leonard had 28 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds while shooting 11/18 from the field.
The Rockets were ahead by as much as 20 points in the first half. However, the Clippers were determined to step up their tenacity in the second half.
“We came out slow paced with no urgency,” Kawhi Leonard said. “We got in a huddle and said lets pick up the energy.”
The energy picked up offensively for the Clippers as they attacked the defense. This allowed the Clippers to get to the foul line.
This resulted in the Clippers tallying 22/26 from the free throw line. This was higher than the 10/17 free throws from the Rockets.
The shooting was also in favor of the Clippers as they shot 55% from the field. This was more efficient than the Rockets, who shot 47.9% from the floor.
The aggressive offense and efficient shooting led to a dominant second half performance. In the second half, the Clippers outscored the Rockets 78-59.
In spite of the loss, the Rockets saw Alperen Sengun put up a triple double. Sengun recorded 23 points, 19 rebounds, and 14 assists.
This win keeps the Clippers closer to improving from the fourth seed in the West. The Timberwolves, Thunder, and Nuggets are all ahead in the standings.
In order to get higher in the standings, the Clippers must win on Saturday. The Clippers will head back to Crypto.com Arena to play the Chicago Bulls.
