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Three takeaways from the LA Clippers’ comeback win over Rockets

By Garrett Chorpenning

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 22: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers reacts during a game against the Houston Rockets on November 22, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 22: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers reacts during a game against the Houston Rockets on November 22, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 22: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets dribbles into the defense of Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers during the first half of a game at Staples Center on November 22, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 22: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets dribbles into the defense of Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers during the first half of a game at Staples Center on November 22, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

The Clippers are winning, but it’s not been pretty

The LA Clippers are riding a four-game winning streak into the weekend, but save for their 49-point beatdown of the Atlanta Hawks, those games could have gone either way.

LA has won its last three games by a combined total of eight points — an average margin of victory of 2.6 points.

Admittedly, the Clippers have played stronger teams lately. The Oklahoma City Thunder are a few games below .500, but have played well against the league’s better teams. The Boston Celtics, at the time, had the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Houston Rockets came into the night one spot above LA in the standings.

It doesn’t feel like the Clippers have been “lucky” to win these games. They make big plays when it matters most, and they’re excellent when playing from behind. The main issue has been surrendering leads and turning the ball over.

Halfway through the second quarter of Friday night’s contest, the Clippers had a 14-point lead over the Rockets. Rather than continuing to pile on, LA leaned off — and Houston was able to go up by as many as 11 in the third.

It was a similar story against Boston. LA went up by as many as seven early on, but the Celtics took a 10-point lead late in the fourth that nearly did the Clippers in.

There are two ways to look at this, and both are true.

In these close, ugly wins, the Clippers have shown that they still can come back from large deficits, like they did last season. That doesn’t mean they should get into these situations every game, but the fact that they’ve been so resilient is a sign that this team is not one to give up.

That said, the Clippers are far too good a team to consistently put themselves in these types of games. The amount of them should decrease once George and Leonard get more reps with the team, so it’s nothing to worry about, but it could become an issue if this remains a pattern.

Next. Paul George hopes to finish career with LA Clippers. dark

The LA Clippers will take the floor again this Sunday, when they host the New Orleans Pelicans at 6:00 p.m. PT.

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