The Los Angeles Clippers travel to Houston to take on the Rockets on Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 8:00 PM ET, with the Clippers on a two-game losing streak and Houston one loss in their last two games.
Records stand at Clippers 6-18 and Rockets 15-6, with this season marking the first matchup between the two teams.
Los Angeles comes in with four players sidelined: Bradley Beal (left hip fracture), RayJ Dennis (two-way, G League), Derrick Jones Jr. (right knee sprain) and Chris Paul (not with team).
James Harden (26.8 ppg) and Kawhi Leonard (25.4 ppg) are expected to carry the offensive load, while Ivica Zubac (15.9 ppg, 11.6 rpg) anchors the interior in both scoring and rebounding.
Houston is missing Tari Eason (right oblique strain), Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle surgery) and Fred VanVleet (right knee ACL repair).
Alperen Sengun (23.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg) and Kevin Durant (25.3 ppg) will handle the scoring duties, while Amen Thompson (17.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg) will be crucial as the primary playmaker.
The implications of the matchup depend on depth: the Clippers will rely on John Collins (12.2 ppg) and Kris Dunn (7.7 ppg) to supplement the scoring of Harden and Leonard, while Houston’s bench, including Josh Okogie (6.5 ppg) and Steven Adams (6.6 ppg), will need to cover for absent veterans to maintain pace and defensive rotations.
Offensively, Houston has a team average of 120.9 points per game and 25.3 assists, while Los Angeles is averaging 111.6 points and 23.6 assists.
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