The Houston Rockets will go for a regular-season sweep of the Los Angeles Clippers. Houston has won the first three meetings, though, all those took place before the calendar flipped to 2025. Will the Rockets dominate LA anew? Or, will the Clippers win in their final game of the regular season in Inglewood?
Catch this game live on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 10:30 AM, Manila time
Away: Houston Rockets (52-27, 23-15 Away)
Projected Starting Five:
- Fred VanVleet (Doubtful)
- Jalen Green
- Amen Thompson
- Dillon Brooks
- Alperen Sengun (Questionable)
The Rockets are looking just fine toward the end of the regular season. They are coming off a 106-96 taming of the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco last Monday for their third win in a row. Before the Dubs game, Houston scored a statement 125-111 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at home. However, the Rockets could be without Fred VanVleet this Thursday as he’s doubtful with an ankle issue. He only had three points on a salty 1-for-8 shooting against Golden State.
Meanwhile, Alperen Sengun is listed as questionable but the expectation is that he will suit up after scoring 19 points and grabbing 14 boards versus the Warriors. Houston’s offense presents trouble for the Clippers, as the Rockets have averaged 124.7 points on a 50.5 percent shooting from the floor in their last three outings. And again, that stretch includes the win over the Thunder, who are this season’s top team in terms of defensive rating.
The Rockets have won six of their last seven road games while covering the spread four times in those contests.
Home: Los Angeles Clippers (47-32, 29-11 Home)
Projected Starting Five:
- James Harden
- Kris Dunn
- Norman Powell
- Kawhi Leonard
- Ivica Zubac
The Clippers are also on a roll, as they enter this date with Houston on a five-game win streak. They could be a little fatigued, though, as they are coming off a 122-117 win at home versus the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. However, Kawhi Leonard sat out the first leg of this back-to-back set, perhaps to preserve his energy for a matchup against a much more dangerous threat in the form of the Rockets.
He’ll rejoin James Harden and Norman Powell on the attack while providing Los Angeles with a stout defensive weapon against Houston’s perimeter options. In his last four games, Leonard has put up 24.5 points on a 51.3 FG%. Meanwhile, no one should be sleeping on Ivica Zubac, who just had a monster double-double of 24 points and 20 boards in the Spurs game.
The Clippers are 5-2 straight up in their last seven regular-season games as the home team against Houston.
Picks
Spread: Houston Rockets (+7.0)
Over/Under: Under (219.5)
