A pair of teams that have just tested their form against the top squad in the NBA will meet Thursday when the Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Houston Rockets.
The Clippers are coming off a 103-96 road defeat to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, while the Rockets gamely battled the Suns on Wednesday in an eventual 124-121 defeat. Houston, the worst team in the Western Conference, had a slim lead with 1:56 to play before the Suns pulled ahead.
Thursday’s game will be the final contest before the All-Star break for both the Clippers and Rockets. They will meet up again after the break for a pair of games Feb. 27 and March 1 at Houston.
Injury woes have limited the Clippers to a 4-6 record going back Jan. 28, although they do have an impressive 119-104 victory over the Golden State Warriors in that stretch on Monday.
The Clippers have been without Kawhi Leonard (knee) all season and without Paul George (elbow) since December. The most recent injury was to new arrival Norman Powell, who is…