They will be tasked with trying to corral potent Houston Rockets guard James Harden, one of the favorites for league most valuable player. They will have to contend with a Rockets squad that shoots and makes more three-pointers than any team in the NBA. And the Clippers will get to measure themselves against one of the teams ahead of them in the playoff race in the Western Conference.
How can they pass this test against the Rockets on Wednesday night at Staples Center? Defense.
“They’ve got a guy named Harden that they kind of play off of, and Harden does a great job with it, but they do a great job,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said.