Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Clippers 2/17/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Live Stream
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Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Clippers Matchup Preview (2/17/22)
The Houston Rockets continue their road trip against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night. The lottery-bound Rockets are looking towards the NBA Draft instead of the playoffs. They are 1-9 in their last ten games with the 24th Offensive Rating and 30th Defensive Rating in that ten-game stretch. On the season, the Rockets are 30th in Defensive Rating and allow the highest opponent FG% of any team – a staggering 48.1 FG%. They were blown out 135-101 by the Utah Jazz on Monday night. The Jazz had 78 points at the half and led by 25. The Rockets could not stop Donovan Mitchell, who produced 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists on 9/15 from the field and 5/9 from three. Five players scored 10+ points for the Rockets, and Kenyon Martin Jr paced them with 16 on 6/9 from the field. To make matters worse, Kevin Porter Jr, Christian Wood, and Dennis Schröder are game time decisions. Without their best three players, the pitiful Rockets would look even worse against the surprisingly sturdy Clippers.
The Clippers are fighting injuries, yet they are not going down easy. They are 4-6 in their last ten games, but they have won two of their last three against stiff competition. The Clippers beat the Mavericks by 2 points on Saturday and the Warriors by 15 points on Monday before falling 103-96 to the Suns on Tuesday. Marcus Morris scored 23 points on 58.8 FG%, and Zubac held his own with 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists. Reggie Jackson will want to forget this game; he scored 14 points and dished 8 assists, but on 7/26 (26.9%) from the field and 0/8 from deep. Chris Paul shredded their weak pick and roll defense to the tune of 17 points and 14 assists. Devin Booker once again showed his scoring prowess, going for 26 points. Deandre Ayton produced a double-double, and Mikal Bridges contributed 19 points and 9 rebounds. The Clippers are without their three best players – Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Norman Powell – for a considerable amount of time. Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris are the primary scorers because of this situation.
Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Clippers Betting Odds
This will be the first matchup between the Rockets and Clippers this season. The Clippers have broken 110 points only once in their last five games, but the dreadful Rockets defense provides a perfect opportunity for them to increase their offensive output. The Rockets have allowed 130+ points in three of their last five and 120+ points in four of their last five games. Both offenses are similar in terms of their recent production, but the Clippers superior defense is the defining edge in this game. I like the Clippers to beat the Rockets and find their offensive groove. I don’t expect them to break 130 points; they will end up in the 110-120 range. The Clippers defense, meanwhile, held the Mavericks, Warriors, and Suns to 97 points, 104 points, and 103 points respectively. Overall, the Clippers are more talented and have more to play for because they are fighting for playoff seeding.
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TV Schedule
Date: 2/17/22
Time: 10:30 PM ET
Arena: Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA
Channel: NBA League Pass
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Houston Rockets Starting Lineup
PG: Kevin Porter Jr
SG: Jalen Green
SF: Eric Gordon
PF: Jae’Sean Tate
C: Christian Wood
Houston Rockets Analysis
Offensively, the Rockets lean on Kevin Porter Jr and Christian Wood. At 13.7 PPG and 6.2 APG, Porter Jr provides ball handling and shot creation for a Rockets team filled with players who cannot create their own shot off the dribble. Porter Jr is an inefficient shooter overall (39.9 FG%), but he’s been elite in catch and shoot situations. He ranks 4th in the NBA in spot up offense at 1.54 Points Per Possession, albeit in a smaller yet still significant sample. Reggie Jackson will likely guard Porter Jr; Jackson’s been a decent spot up defender this year. Jalen Green handles the ball at times when Porter Jr is on the court. The Rockets should look to free Porter Jr (38 3PT%) and Eric Gordon (42.9 3PT%) off of screens for quick catch and shoot jumpers. Jackson (6’3” 207 lbs) can get caught on screens given his size, allowing the time needed for a quick pass to the open man.
The extra defensive attention this off-ball movement requires would draw the defense away from the paint, where Christian Wood (17.6 PPG) can go to work against Clippers center Ivica Zubac. Wood has slightly declined compared to last season (21 PPG on 51.4 FG%); however, Wood exerts tremendous pressure in the paint either from isolating or rolling to the basket off of a pick. Zubac struggles in pick and roll defense because his mobility is limited. He prefers to hang back near the rim and stay in the paint. Along with his interior offense, Wood spaces the floor and makes 1.8 threes per game on 37.1 3PT%. Zubac will be uncomfortable all game against Wood’s range and quickness.
Los Angeles Clippers Starting Lineup
PG: Reggie Jackson
SG: Terance Mann
SF: Nicolas Batum
PF: Marcus Morris Sr
C: Ivica Zubac
Los Angeles Clippers Analysis
The Clippers have the overall talent edge, especially when comparing the benches. Marcus Morris has been thrusted into being arguably the primary scorer because of injury, but he’s thrived so far while averaging 15.9 PPG on 43.6 FG% and 38.3 3PT% for the season. In his last seven games, he scored 20+ points five times against defenders such as Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Khris Middleton, Reggie Bullock, and Dorian Finney-Smith. Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate is having an excellent defensive year and will likely follow Morris throughout the game. Tate excels at defending spot up shooters, Morris’ main source of shot attempts and points. Although it seems like a troubling matchup, the Clippers veteran is four inches taller than Tate. Morris’ slight backwards lean on his shot will make it difficult for Tate to block his shot, or even bother it for that matter.
The Rockets allow opponents to shoot 66% within five feet of the basket, good for 29th in the NBA. Opponents also shoot 45.1% five to nine feet away, and 47.7% ten to fourteen feet away, which ranks 30th and 29th respectively. Christian Wood is an offensive force, but Zubac can score effectively on him. He is shooting 74.2% from within three feet and 52.6% from three to ten feet of the basket. The Clippers have made an effort to get Zubac more shots; he is averaging 9 FGA in the last three games and scored 11, 18 and 12 points.
Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Clippers Daily Fantasy Picks
I like Christian Wood and Reggie Jackson to lead their teams. Wood is a focal point in this offense, and he should score on Zubac. Wood’s a constant double-double threat also who can rack up a few assists. Reggie Jackson’s shot attempts are consistently high; his production is not always great, but he has plenty of opportunity. A sleeper pick is Luka Kennard on the Clippers. Kennard’s high variance shot profile and cheap price tag makes for an intriguing pick. If it turns into a blowout, Kennard will benefit from the uptick in garbage minutes.
