The Los Angeles Clippers aim to build on recent momentum as they prepare to face the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
The Los Angeles Clippers (7-21) have had a rough start to the 2025-26 season, but they showed signs of life with a strong 103-88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
Now they turn their attention to Tuesday's home matchup against the Houston Rockets (17-9), a team that has been among the best in the Western Conference this year and currently sits in sixth place.
The Clippers will need their available players to step up once again as they continue to deal with some tough injuries to key contributors.
Clippers Injury Report vs. Rockets
Heading into Tuesday's game, the Clippers have ruled out four players.
Bradley Beal remains out for the season with a left hip fracture, while Derrick Jones Jr. is still recovering from a right knee sprain that has kept him sidelined since mid-November.
Chris Paul is listed as not with the team after being released earlier this month, and Ivica Zubac is out with a left ankle sprain he suffered during Saturday's win over the Lakers.
On a positive note, rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser has been removed from the injury report after dealing with left knee soreness that kept him out of recent games.
The Clippers do not have any new injuries to report beyond the extended absences of Paul, Jones Jr., and Beal, which is a welcome development for a team that has been hit hard by the injury bug all season long.
How the Clippers Can Win
Even with these key players sidelined, the Clippers have the talent to compete with Houston if their stars perform at a high level.
James Harden has been carrying much of the offensive load this season, putting up 25.8 points and 8.2 assists per game while also grabbing 5.2 rebounds.
Harden knows the Rockets organization very well from his years in Houston, and this matchup should bring out extra motivation from the veteran guard.
Kawhi Leonard has been playing some of his best basketball in recent games, averaging 25.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season and posting a season-high 32 points in the win over the Lakers.
If Leonard can continue his hot streak and Harden stays efficient as a playmaker, the Clippers have a legitimate chance to pull off an upset at home.
What To Watch For Against Houston
With Zubac out, Brook Lopez will likely move into the starting lineup and will need to hold his own against Houston's frontcourt, which features the talented Alperen Sengun who is averaging 23.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
Kevin Durant leads the Rockets with 25.3 points per game and has looked comfortable in his first season with his new team.
The key for the Clippers will be taking care of the basketball after committing a season-high 29 turnovers in their previous loss to Oklahoma City, and making shots from beyond the arc like they did against the Lakers when they knocked down 15 three-pointers.
Tip-off for Tuesday's game is set for 10:30 p.m. ET at Intuit Dome.