Two Western Conference powerhouses clash as James Harden and the Rockets visit Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers on Thursday.
The Rockets (18-9) head into Thursday's contest having won six of their last nine games. James Harden has been the scoring machine he's always been, as his 38.9 points per game are tops in the league. Harden's 7.4 assists per game are also ninth in the NBA.
Russell Westbrook, the other member of Houston's dynamic duo, is averaging 22.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists this season. The Rockets started the season 3-3 but have since gone 15-6 to move into fifth place in the West.
MORE: Watch Rockets vs. Clippers live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Los Angeles (21-8) has fared well this season and only trails the rival Lakers for the top spot in the West. Offseason acquisitions Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been a boon for the Clippers, as the two have combined to average 50.2 points per game for LA. If it wasn't for LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers, the Clippers would be the talk of the town.
While Thursday's game against Houston is important, an even bigger matchup looms as the team visits the Lakers on Christmas Day in a rematch of the opening night tilt that saw the Clippers walk away victorious. As for the Rockets, they need every win they can get in a competitive Western Conference as they jostle for postion with Denver, Utah and Dallas for a top-four seed.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Rockets vs. Clippers, including the tipoff time and TV channel for Thursday night's game.
What channel is Rockets vs. Clippers on today?
- TV channel: TNT
- Live stream: fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Rockets vs. Clippers is broadcast live on TNT. The "NBA on TNT" crew of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal will host the studio show before and after TNT's coverage Thursday, which begins with Lakers vs. Bucks. Marv Albert, Chris Webber and Kristen Ledlow are on the call for Rockets vs. Clippers.
You can also live-stream the game by signing up for fuboTV, which offers a seven-day free trial.
Rockets vs. Clippers: What time is tipoff?
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 19
- Start time: 7:30 p.m. PT | 10:30 p.m. ET
The 10:30 p.m. ET tipoff (7:30 p.m. PT) is the second game of a doubleheader on TNT. The Lakers and Bucks kick things off at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT).
Rockets schedule 2019
Here are the Rockets' next five games:
| Date | Opponent | Time | National TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 19 | at Clippers | 10:30 p.m. ET | TNT |
| Dec. 21 | at Suns | 9 p.m. ET | NBA TV |
| Dec. 23 | at Kings | 10 p.m. ET | — |
| Dec. 25 | at Warriors | 5 p.m. ET | ABC |
| Dec. 28 | vs. Nets | 8 p.m. ET | — |
Clippers schedule 2019
Here are the Clippers' next five games:
| Date | Opponent | Time | National TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 19 | vs. Rockets | 10:30 p.m. ET | TNT |
| Dec. 21 | at Spurs | 8:30 p.m. ET | — |
| Dec. 22 | at. Thunder | 7 p.m. ET | NBA TV |
| Dec. 25 | at Lakers | 8 p.m. ET | ABC |
| Dec. 28 | vs. Jazz | 10:30 p.m. ET | — |