LA Clippers vs Houston Rockets Prediction: Clippers have an edge, but they are not playing well

The NBA Regular Season has brought us tough prediction scenarios. There are teams that were elite defensively last season but haven’t been that impressive this season, the Golden State Warriors being one of the major examples. So, it means that the early parts of the NBA season are challenging and we can’t judge how the trajectory will flow. Anyway in this game, the Los Angeles Clippers will take on the Houston Rockets.

The Clippers come into this game after a disappointing 91:112 loss against the New Orleans Pelicans in another disappointing offensive performance in the season. The Clippers have lost four of their six games and they have disappointed the fanbase after coming in with lofty expectations. One of the major reasons for their lack of wins has been the unavailability of Kawhi Leonard, whose knee problems refuse to go away. Marcus Morris has been doing a decent job of scoring but the team needs more consistency.

Paul George has been slowed down due to injury are his rhythm has been off. The Clippers have scored 103 or under in most of the games and after starting the season with two wins, they have lost four in a row, which implies their big-time struggles. One positive has been that Norman Powell is back in the groove after a slow start. However, due to initial rotation shuffles, Reggie Jackson has lost his rhythm whereas despite having an above-average depth, the team is number one in turnovers and averages the least amount of points.

They haven’t forced many turnovers and on average, commit 5+ more turnovers than their opponents, surely a recipe for disaster/ They are also among the worst squads in offensive rebounds per game despite having a strong rebounder in Ivica Zubac. One thing is clear, the team needs Paul George to get going if they are stack-up wins. Can they try a lineup of Wall, Powell, George, Kennard, and Morris in the small-ball scheme?

The Rockets come into this game after losing 109:124 to the Suns despite a 26 points performance by Kevin Porter Jr. The Rockets have lost six out of their seven games and have a tough schedule to begin the season. This however barely a surprise considering that this is one of the youngest teams in the league, fielding rookies and sophomores. Their defense is among the worst in the league and their offense is still a work-in-progress as they find viable mechanisms.

One big positive for the team has been the form of Kevin Porter Jr, who has elevated his efficiency compared to last season. Jalen Green is an automatic scorer but his shooting percentage has been low to start the season. Alperen Sengun has been a big-time scorer and rebounder who is working to become a 20+ Points and 10+ Rebounds Contributor. These three have been part of the youth movement that can build a viable inside-outside scoring.

Jabari Smith Jr. was picked high in the draft by the Rockets for his athletic chops but he has been not shooting a high percentage and is struggling against NBA defenses. He will need to shoot better but his rebounding and defense are promising, something this team will need big-time. Kenyon Martin Jr. has been a decent role player for them but the team is far away from being a quality NBA team.

• Clippers: OUT: Kawhi Leonard;
• Rockets: OUT: Bruno Fernando, TyTy Washington.

• Likely 20+ Points Candidates: Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Paul George, Norman Powell;
• Likely 8+ Rebounds Candidates: Ivica Zubac, Jabari Smith Jr, Alperen Sengun;
• Likely 6+ Assists Candidate: Kevin Porter Jr.

The Clippers have not played well at all on the offensive end and as it goes off, now their defense is also taking the hit which was disciplined early in the season. On the other hand, the Rockets have yet to win a road game, posting a 0-5 record away from home. The Rockets’ defense is way behind the Clippers all in all and they struggle to stem the scoring flow.

The Clippers will like to up the ante on the offensive end and for that to happen, Paul George will have to make a recovery. The Clippers’ offensive woes are the mirror to last season and even after upgrading the lineup, it is a surprise. The Rockets have a decent scoring lineup but Green and Smith Jr. have not shot well. Anyway, I believe the Clippers will recover their offense here and will win while the points range will be 222-232