At 9:30 pm EST tonight, you better be glued to ESPN as the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers will be facing off. Two of the hottest teams in the NBA will be taking center stage. Houston has won 10 of its last 11 games, while the Clippers were able to hold down the fort without all-star point guard Chris Paul. With Houston trying to hold on to the #3 seed in the Western Conference and the Clippers having already beaten Houston twice this season, what should we expect tonight?
Houston Rockets Vs Los Angeles Clippers
Before the season started, my prediction for the Western Conference Finals was the Rockets vs the Clippers. I am still standing by that prediction. Houston is starting to gel with center Dwight Howard, and they’re showing how scary of a team they can be. Last night, they absolutely destroyed the Sacramento Kings. The big win allowed their star players to get some rest for the big matchup tonight. I have a feeling James Harden will pick up where he left off last night. His scoring has gone down just a tad this season, but his assist numbers have gone up, which really shows he’s meshing well with Howard in the lineup. Houston has had good statement wins, but a win tonight could really mean a lot.
The Clippers just keep getting better. When Chris Paul missed six weeks due to an injury, some people felt maybe they would not be able to keep winning. Boy, were they wrong, as Darren Collison really stepped up and played a huge role for the team while Paul was out. He is a great backup point guard. But let’s not forget about the main person who has improved this season; Blake Griffin. While Paul was out, Griffin took his play to an unbelievable level. He showed us that he can do more than just dunk. His rebounding improved, and his jump shot is really starting to come into form. He won’t win the MVP, but he certainly will be in the conversation. With the Clippers not having the best of playoff success the past two seasons, they feel this is their time. And if they keep playing the way they are, they will certainly get past the first round.
Tonight, I believe that Houston will come into the Staples Centre and take this one agains the Clippers. The Rockets have been on an absolute tear, and they are going to continue that run. Expect this game to go down to the wire. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard and James Harden will show up and show their stuff for a huge national audience tonight. But in the end, Houston will get that big statement win.
Get ready folks. It’s gonna be a good one.
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