HOUSTON — The Clippers, in desperate need of any positive momentum, fell just short in another tight game.
Amen Thompson’s three-point play on a tip-in with 17.2 seconds left helped the Houston Rockets to a 115-113 victory over the Clippers on Thursday night.
On a night when the Rockets dominated the glass, Thompson tipped in Alperen Sengun’s miss to break a 110-110 tie, was fouled by Kris Dunn and made the ensuing free throw. The putback came on Houston’s third offensive rebound of the possession and 21st of the night.
The Clippers had two possessions with a chance to tie the score, but the Rockets prevailed in a wacky closing stretch to win for the sixth time in eight games.
Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. was whistled for an offensive foul right after Thompson’s three-point play, but Clippers center Ivica Zubac made just one of his two free throws.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was called for an offensive foul six seconds later. Aaron Holiday split two free throws, and after another Clippers turnover on an inbounds pass, Sengun made one of two at the line for a four-point lead with 6.5 seconds left, essentially sealing the outcome.
Thompson shot 8 for 12 from the field and finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.
The Rockets (16-6) outrebounded the Clippers 51-28 and avoided losing back-to-back games for the first time since Oct. 24.
Zubac matched a season-high with 33 points on 13-of-14 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds for the Clippers (6-19), who lost their third game in a row and eighth in the past nine games.
Leonard was dynamic on both ends, posting 24 points, nine rebounds and five steals in a season-high 41 minutes. James Harden had 22 points and seven assists against his former team, including a 3-pointer with 37.1 seconds left that tied the score at 110-110.
Sengun led the Rockets with 22 points and 15 rebounds, five assists and four steals. Smith finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Kevin Durant scored 13 of his 16 points in the third quarter. Holiday and Reed Sheppard combined for 23 points on 6-for-12 shooting from 3-point range off the Houston bench.
The Clippers shot 50% from the field, but the lopsided rebounding totals gave the Rockets a plus-15 advantage on shot attempts.
Thompson had 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in the fourth quarter as Houston erased an 82-80 deficit entering the frame. Three early Clippers turnovers fueled a fast start for the Rockets in the fourth, but when Leonard drilled back-to-back 3-pointers and Harden later added a three-point play, the Clippers cut an eight-point deficit to one with 7:04 to play, setting up the tight finish.
The Clippers pulled even at 29-29 to end the first quarter, only for the Rockets to open the second with a 9-0 run. The Clippers responded with a 10-2 surge, but they didn’t get over the hump until late in the first half, when Zubac produced two dunks, a layup and a free throw, giving the Clippers a 54-51 halftime lead. His layup at the 1:02 mark gave the visitors their first lead of the night.
UP NEXT
The Clippers host Memphis on Monday at 7:30 p.m.