Clippers Beat Rockets 124-99, Take Game 3

The Los Angeles Clippers handily beat the Houston Rockets on Friday night at Staples Center to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven series.

After missing the first two games of the series, Chris Paul shrugged off his hamstring strain and started for Clippers in Game 3. Before the game, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said he would be monitoring Paul’s minutes closely. After roughly five and a half minutes, Rivers stayed true to his pregame comments and gave the Clippers point guard an early rest.

At that stage, the Clippers led the game by four points after a back-and-forth start that featured six ties on the scoreboard. The game would never again be tied, as the Clippers would take control of the contest and push their lead to nine points after one quarter. Fueling the early lead, Clippers shooting guard J.J. Redick made a fast start with four three-point makes in the first quarter.

Dwight Howard, who made his first NBA Playoffs appearance at Staples Center since leaving Los Angeles, led the Rockets with four makes in his first five shots. By halftime, the Rockets center already had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Not far behind Howard, Blake Griffin had 13 points and eight rebounds at the intermission, as the Clippers led by seven points in a high scoring game. Redick led all scorers with 16 points, and Paul contributed six points and six assists at the break.

Surprisingly, James Harden did not attempt a single foul shot in the first half, but the NBA Most Valuable Player runner-up was one of four Rockets in double figures. Also, Harden contributed seven assists, which was a game-high, and a last-second shot at the buzzer to keep the Rockets optimistic entering the locker room.

At the start of the third quarter, the Rockets continued to surge and immediately cut the Clippers' lead to only three points. Griffin and Paul responded immediately and again suppressed the Rockets surge. By the six-minute mark in the third quarter, though, the home team had reestablished an 11-point advantage. Of course, Harden and the Rockets would continue to jockey for position, but the visitors were unable to grab hold of the lead.

To make matters worse for the visitors, Austin Rivers blew up in the third quarter to give the Clippers a sizable advantage. Rivers scored 15 points in an inspired third period, which helped the Clippers build a 23-point lead entering the fourth quarter. Rivers' third quarter performance helped the 22-year-old edge Redick as the game's top scorer through three quarters. To that point, Rivers had 22 points in only 18 minutes off the Clippers' bench. 

Entering the fourth quarter, the lively crowd at Staples Center chanted the backup point guard's name. After hitting a three-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter, Rivers stirred up an imaginary pot to the amusement of fans in attendance and on social media. When Rivers eventually went to the Clippers' bench, the crowd acknowledged the backup's performance with a standing ovation.

GIF: Austin Rivers feeling it, does Harden's stirring the pot celly pic.twitter.com/0Jo8mB552j — The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) May 9, 2015

At that point, the Clippers led by 27 points. In the fourth quarter, the Clippers would play most of their starters for longer than most would expect. At one point, an altercation between Rockets guard Jason Terry and Blake Griffin featured the Houston player shoving the Clippers' forward in the back. Terry would be ejected to add drama to a game that had ceased being competitive a long time earlier.

The Clippers lead the series 2-1. Game 4 will be on Sunday at Staples Center.

Notes: Cameras and microphones caught Paul speaking with Clippers coach Doc Rivers when the coach's son was setting fire to the nets. The point guard, who prominently brings his own young son to postgame press conferences told his coach, "This is one time where you can be a Dad and not his coach."

This is great. https://t.co/lpSh5Sc6xR — BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) May 9, 2015