The Houston Rockets haven’t lost three games in a row all season long. But if they’re going to keep that streak alive in Tuesday’s Game 5 — and with it, their season — they’re going to have to overcome a tidal wave of momentum in favor of the Clippers.
It’s not just that Los Angeles leads the second-seeded Rockets by a 3-1 margin. It’s that they’re doing it in dominating fashion. In two weekend romps, the Clippers became the first team since the 2001 Lakers to win back-to-back games in a playoff series by at least 25 points.
Josh Reese of CBS Radio in Houston (Sports Radio 610) joins me to break down how the Clippers have done it, starting with an MVP performance from Blake Griffin. We also examine where things went wrong for the Rockets, like being torched by an opposing power forward for a second straight year (Griffin now, LaMarcus Aldridge in 2014). Is Terrence Jones on the hot seat, and might things be different if Donatas Motiejunas were healthy?
Other topics we explore:
- Was Chris Paul’s brief absence a blessing in disguise for the Clippers, given the confidence it brought Austin Rivers?
- With James Harden only taking 12 shots in Game 4 despite shooting well on the series (45 percent on field goals, 44 percent on threes), should he be more assertive?
- Is Hack-a-DeAndre Jordan a worthwhile strategy for the Rockets, considering that it negates their transition opportunities?
- Does poor play in this series by Corey Brewer and Josh Smith impact Houston’s likelihood of re-signing them as free agents this summer?
- Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni are in their late 30s, and Patrick Beverley will be a free agent. With guards like J.J. Barea running roughshod over Houston this postseason, where might general manager Daryl Morey and the Rockets go at that position?
- Is there any hope at all of Houston recovering to make this a competitive series?
Ben DuBose is a veteran sports reporter who has followed the Houston Rockets and the NBA since Hakeem Olajuwon was Akeem Olajuwon. He writes for both SheridanHoops and ClutchFans, and his podcasts with Josh Reese can be found on the Red & Orange Report. You can follow him on Twitter.