The No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers (5-3 SU, 4-4 ATS) seek a second straight win over the No. 2 Houston Rockets (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) Wednesday in Game Two of their Western Conference semifinal. You can watch the game live on TNT.
Without Chris Paul the Clippers were still able to ride the momentum of a thrilling seven-game series win over the defending champion Spurs and knock off the Rockets Monday to take a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference semifinal. The Clips cashed the over for the second straight game and fifth time this postseason with this series looking like plenty of points will be scored.
The Rockets are searching for answers after dropping Monday’s series opener and relinquishing homecourt advantage in the series. The Rockets were rested having five days off between games and got the Clips without Chris Paul and let it slip away. Houston is now forced to win Wednesday to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole. After covering the spread in their first three postseason games the Rockets are 1-2 ATS in their last three.
KEY INJURY
After stealing a win Monday it’s likely the Clippers will give Chris Paul another day to recover from his hamstring injury. Paul sustained the injury Saturday in LA’s Game Seven win over San Antonio but was still able to hit the game-winning shot that eliminated the defending champs.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“Without Chris everybody has to step up. It’s not one person’s job, it’s all of our jobs. If you look at the stat sheet and the way that we played tonight, it was everybody. Everybody stepped up and did their role and that’s how you fill that void of CP not being out there.” – Clippers forward Blake Griffin
BETTING TRENDS
- Los Angeles is 10-1-1 ATS in its last 12 road games.
- Houston is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games overall.
- The OVER is 9-2 in Houston’s last 11 home games.
KEY STATS
3: Clippers forward Blake Griffin had a monster game with 26 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists for his second straight triple-double and third this postseason. Griffin didn’t record a triple-double during the regular season.
20: Houston guard James Harden averaged 20 points in four regular season games against the Clippers and scored 20 points Monday on six of 13 shooting.
47: The teams combined for 47 turnovers in the game with the Rockets committing 24 and the Clippers 23.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Clippers knew heading into Game One that no one player could make up for the absence of Chris Paul. So they all chipped in to fill the void. With the team’s undisputed leader acting as another coach on the sideline, Blake Griffin took on the role and led by example. Griffin recorded his second straight triple-double with 26 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists for his third this postseason. “Blake was just sensational. I got on him because he stopped looking to score and I told him at one point, ‘we need you to do everything,’ and he did it,” coach Doc Rivers said.
Houston was well-rested after having five days off following their ouster of Dallas in five first-round games, but the Rockets were the ones wilting down the stretch getting outscored by 20 points in the second half. Houston connected on 11 three-pointers but shot only 33.3 percent and the Rockets were a woeful 14 of 24 from the free throw line. They also turned the ball over 24 times with critical errors that thwarted potential rallies. “We didn’t play with much composure all night long. We had 24 turnovers. We were just sloppy. They played with much more of an edge,” coach Kevin McHale said.
After stealing Game One it’s likely the Clippers will rest Chris Paul for at least one more game to allow his injured hamstring to heal. Austin Rivers started in his place Monday contributing 17 points and three assists in over 28 minutes but the Clips survived with a team effort that saw six players reach double-figures in scoring. The Rockets looked rusty after a lengthy rest with plenty of turnovers and missed three-pointers. James Harden was a non-factor Monday and when’s the last time we said that? Expect more from the Rockets Wednesday.
Houston 111, Los Angeles 100
The NBA lines for this contest will first be released by BookMaker sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next half. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets will go down Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at 9:30 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
