Dillon Brooks and Ivica Zubac will face off in Wednesday’s League Pass Game of the Day.
The Western Conference playoff picture still has plenty to be sorted out by Sunday, and Wednesday’s Clippers vs. Rockets game will be an important piece of that puzzle. Here are the five reasons to watch this one:
- Jockeying for position: Seeds No. 4-8 in the West are unsettled as we reach the middle of the final week of the regular season. The Clippers are part of a crowd that includes the Nuggets, Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies, with just a half-game separating the bunch. Every game matters this time of the year and the heat is turned up on these teams this week.
- Finishing strong: The Rockets are the No. 2 seed in the West but likely want to be in a groove as the playoffs near, which gives them added focus vs. the Clippers tonight.
- Navigating the back-to-back: The Clippers are playing the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday, which poses a unique challenge for them. Coming off Tuesday’s win against the Spurs, the Clippers will have to make a call on Kawhi Leonard’s availability for what sets up as a crucial matchup against the Rockets.
- Rockets going for season sweep: The Rockets won the first three matchups against the Clippers with an average margin of victory of 13.3 points (their 21-point win back in November skews that figure a bit). Houston has had the edge when these teams have played this season, and this is Los Angeles’ last chance to change that narrative before the playoffs begin.
- Battle of the bigs: The Rockets and Clippers are two of the best teams at getting points in the paint this season. The Clippers average 51 ppg in the paint and the Rockets are next in line with 50.9 ppg as Ivica Zubac (Clippers) and All-Star Alperen Sengun (Rockets) set the tone. Both players are having career-best seasons and have emerged as two of the best bigs in the league.
