Rockets vs. Clippers 2015 results: 3 things we learned from Houston’s season-saving comeback
The Rockets looked totally dead until they lead an incredible comeback in the fourth with James Harden on the bench.
James Harden, MVP runner up, was on the bench for nearly the entire comeback after struggling after halftime. Instead, Josh Smith and Corey Brewer led the charge with a combined 29 points in the fourth quarter, including five three-pointers.
After a Chris Paul layup with 6:47 on the clock, the Clippers didn't hit a field goal until the very final seconds with the Rockets in control. A Brewer three with 3:42 to play put the Rockets up for the first time since the first quarter and they kept at it while Los Angeles languished. Their offense, sharp and lethal in the opening three frames, completed died off poor shooting and shellshock after the comeback had been made.
Paul still finished with 28 points on 8-of-17 shooting plus 11 assists, looking as healthy as he has since injuring his groin in Game 7 of the last series against San Antonio. Griffin had 28 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including this incredible shot.
It felt like the game was over when that shot went in. Instead, the Rockets’ bench mob made this incredulous recovery and now leave the Clippers with a lot to think about until Sunday’s Game 7. They say no lead is safe, but this one sure seemed to be. What the Rockets did seemed impossible -- but it was very, very real.
Here’s three things we learned.
1. The Rockets were d-e-a-d
Even when they started to come back the only thing it seemed anyone was thinking about is how inconvenient it was, making the game even longer. The idea that they would actually come all the way back to win was absurd. Even when they up by three, we kept waiting for the Clippers to break out of whatever trance James Harden had put on them and end up finishing the Rockets despite the scare.
The Rockets were dead and it was Corey Brewer and Josh Smith who brought them back from the grave.
2. Houston gave Harden the help he needed
Before the comeback happened, the storyline for this game was how Harden still couldn’t get any help. He had 21 in the first half, after all, nearly matching Griffin’s 22. When he struggled in the third is when the Rockets’ chance of a comeback slowly faded away, because that’s the way it has been all season. Houston lives and dies with Harden taking every key shot, starting every big run and doing all the dirty work his team needs. Instead, for once this season, his teammates returned the favor.
3. What can the Clippers even be thinking right now?
Chris Paul has never advanced to the Conference Finals. He's one of the best players in NBA history to not have that honor, and suddenly, it might be snatched away again. To the Clippers' advantage, they've won in this series in Houston and they have playoff experience. They can fall back on their veteran status and win this series, like they should have on Thursday. But all the momentum is against them and there's even an extra day of rest that they will have to dwell on this horrible, terrible collapse. Good luck to them and hopefully we get a Game 7 in the same quality as the Clippers vs. Spurs series of the first round out of this all.
