The LA Clippers lost to the Houston Rockets 115-113 last Thursday night, and if you want to understand the difference between a legitimate title contender and a dysfunctional situation hoping to compete, just look at the rebounding numbers.
Houston grabbed 22 offensive rebounds compared to LA's eight. The Rockets out-rebounded the Clippers 51-28 overall, marking LA's worst rebounding margin since January 2022.
Amen Thompson's key bucket for the Rockets summarized the entire season for LA
With the game tied 110-110 and 23 seconds remaining, the LA Clippers had a chance to get a defensive rebound and set up for the final possession. Instead, they allowed Reed Sheppard to miss a three-pointer that Ivica Zubac contested, only to watch Alperen Şengün grab not one, not two, but three consecutive offensive rebounds on the same possession before Amen Thompson tipped it in for a basket in a truly hilarious sequence. Kris Dunn then fouled Thompson, who converted the and-one free throw to put the Houston Rockets up 113-110 with 17.2 seconds left.
The Clippers had James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Nicolas Batum, and Zubac on the floor, all veterans who understand winning basketball. Still, they couldn't secure a single defensive rebound while the Rockets grabbed three straight offensive boards.
This type of effort is embarrassing, as Harden, Leonard, and Batum all stood around watching like they were at a recreation league game, making minimal boxout attempts while Houston's young, hungry players attacked the glass with ferocity.
However, this wasn't some fluke occurrence. The Rockets are a top three rebounding team in the league and one of the only squads that secures more than 40 percent of offensive rebound opportunities.
The rebuild vs. the rebuild that actually worked
Here's what makes this loss so devastating: James Harden left the Houston Rockets in 2021 to chase a championship. The Rockets bottomed out, drafted smartly with picks including Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason, then flipped Jalen Green for Kevin Durant to accelerate their timeline. Four years later, they're 16-7 and sitting fifth in the Western Conference with a legitimate shot at the Finals.
The Clippers, meanwhile, are 6-20 with the oldest roster in NBA history, limited draft capital, and a team that can't execute the most basic fundamentals of winning basketball. After the game, Harden praised Houston's turnaround.
I asked James Harden about what it’s like seeing the Rockets rebuild come full circle and the franchise great had nothing but nice things to say:
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) December 12, 2025
“Amazing, you know Alpi, Amen — Jabari, their growth. Then you add KD into the mix. They’re a good team.” https://t.co/2gZCgI4xSf pic.twitter.com/jyAbWVYFA9
Translation? Harden recognizes that Houston built something sustainable while the Clippers mortgaged their entire future for this disaster.
The Rockets drafted young talent, developed them properly, added a superstar to push them over the top, and surrounded everyone with smart veterans. The Clippers signed a bunch of aging talents, hoped their names alone would win games, and are now watching their season circle the drain because nobody wants to box out.
The Clippers are 2-10 in the clutch for a reason
The LA Clippers have been atrocious in the clutch (within five points in the final five minutes) at 2-10. They've lost 10 of their last 11 clutch games since November started. It's a pattern that when games get tight, the Clippers make mistakes.
Thus, the Houston Rockets are levels ahead of the Clippers because they do the little things that win championships. They crash the offensive glass, execute in crunch time, and have young players with hunger complementing their stars.
The Clippers? They have a collection of expensive veterans who can't be bothered to box out in a one-possession game. Houston is building toward a title, and LA is building toward the lottery that does not have their name written on it.