It didn’t matter to the Clippers that the Houston Rockets were resting their core players. It didn’t matter to the Clippers that they were playing the second game on back-to-back nights. It didn’t matter to the Clippers that they are starting to feel some wear and tear from a long NBA season that’s winding down.
What mattered to the Clippers was “being professional” in their approach to the game on Wednesday night during their final regular-season game at Intuit Dome.
The Clippers still are playing for something and that was enough of a motivating factor for them during a 134-117 win over the Rockets.
By winning their sixth straight game, the Clippers held onto the fifth spot in the tight Western Conference standings. With two regular-season games left, the Clippers can put themselves in position to finish in the top five, clinch a playoff bid and avoid the play-in tournament.
The Clippers are 48-32, the same record as Denver.
The Clippers continued to play at a high level Wednesday night behind their stars — Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac — and another role player stepping up in Nicolas Batum.
Leonard didn’t play in Tuesday night’s game against the Spursbecause of right knee management, but he contributed 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists Wednesday night against the Rockets.
Harden had 35 points and 10 assists.
Zubac had yet another brilliant game, posting his firsttriple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.
Batum had 15 points, all in the first half. He was 4 of 5 from three-point range, but he didn’t play in the second half because of right groin soreness.
As a group, the Clippers managed the absence of Norman Powell (right shoulder soreness).
Perhaps most impressive of all was that the Clippers didn’t let up despite the Rockets sitting starters Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson and sixth man Jabari Smith Jr.
The Rockets have clinched the No. 2 seed in the West and essentially had nothing to play for.
The Clippers, however, had far more at stake.
“Focus on us, being professional,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said of his team’s approach to the game. “No matter who is in the game, they still are professional and they got a good team. Their young core is really good. … Can’t underestimate any team you play in this league. So, we got to be ready to go from the jump, have a defensive mindset to start the game and no letdown.”
The Clippers finish the season at Sacramento Friday night and at Golden State Sunday.
“The most important thing is health,” Lue said. “If your best players are healthy, you really have a chance. We feel good about it right now. Our guys are healthy and we just got to finish off the season that way.”