No Paul? No Problem: Clippers Overcome Rockets in Game 1

The Houston Rockets had six days off after beating the Dallas Mavericks in five games.  The Clippers came in only 48 hours after their down to the wire victory in a Game 7 against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.

To make matters worse, the Clippers floor general Chris Paul did not play due to the hamstring injury he suffered on Saturday.  In the end, it did not matter as the Clippers won the game 117-101.

After being pushed to the limit on Saturday night, many expected the Clippers to lack the energy to keep up with the younger and deeper Houston team.

Instead, Los Angeles kept pace with the Rockets and pulled away in the second half.  Blake Griffin recorded his third triple-double of the post-season with 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists to lead his team on a night that needed him to step up without his partner on the court.

If they play the way they did in Game 1 then Houston will have a problem

Without Paul, the Clippers saw more minutes and reliance on guards Austin Rivers and J.J Redick.  While it was impossible to replace Paul’s presence on the floor, they stepped up to provide the offensive assistance in his absence.  Both provided 17 points and combined for 5 assists.

Jamal Crawford provided an incredible boost off the bench with 21 points.  DeAndre Jordan had a quieter night (by his standards) for his team with a double-double at 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Despite the all-around performance from the Clippers, the player who stepped up most for Los Angeles was Matt Barnes who scored 20 points after struggling several times during the Spurs series.

His play was vital as without Paul he played the most minutes of anyone else on the floor.

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Coach Kevin McHale summed it up simply by saying that his team had no excuse and that the Clippers “simply wanted it more.”  It certainly appeared so as the Clippers out rebounded the Rockets 42 to 35.

Dwight Howard led the team with 22 points and ten rebounds while MVP runner-up James Harden scored 20 points with 12 assists.

In an important strategic contest, both teams matched up two of the best defensive players in the league whose woes from the free-throw line have been well documented.

Head-to-head, DeAndre Jordan was more successful as he made 6 of 11 while Dwight Howard made 4 of 9.

In particular the Clippers sent Howard to the line late in the fourth quarter to slow down the Rockets and to keep the ball out of the hands of offensive machine Harden.

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The game now sets both teams in a precarious situation as the Clippers now have the split and regain home-court advantage when they return to the Staples Center on Friday.  The most pressing question will be whether or not Chris Paul returns on Wednesday.

He was a game-time decision on Monday night and it will remain to be seen if he rests in Game 2 in order to be closer to 100% in Game 3.  The decision could have major implications as undoubtedly the Rockets will play Game 2 with more energy as they do not want to head into Los Angeles with a 2-0 deficit.

That said, Paul’s health will be key if the Clippers are to win the series against the Rockets and the other teams they could face if they make it to the Conference Final and beyond.

Game 2 of the Clippers-Rockets series will be on Wednesday at the Toyota Center in Houston, live on TNT at 6:30pt.