The Houston Rockets held on for a dramatic 115-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night, December 11, 2025, at the Toyota Center. The close contest came down to the final seconds, where rookie guard Amen Thompson delivered a pivotal three point play to seal the win for the Rockets. The victory allowed Houston to improve their strong home record to 16-6 and avoid losing consecutive games for the first time since October, while simultaneously deepening the crisis for the struggling Clippers.

The immediate impact of the game was the breakout performance of Amen Thompson, whose stat line of 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists nearly resulted in a triple double. His most important sequence came with just 17.2 seconds left, tipping in a missed shot by Alperen Sengun for a putback layup, drawing a foul from Kris Dunn, and successfully sinking the subsequent free throw. That three point play broke a 110-110 tie and highlighted Houston’s tenacious rebounding effort, which saw them crush the Clippers on the glass 51-28. Thompson scored 12 of his 20 points in the final quarter, powering the fourth quarter comeback.

The strategic failure in the Clippers vs Rockets matchup was Los Angeles’ inability to secure defensive rebounds and close out the chaotic final minute. Despite an incredibly efficient night from center Ivica Zubac, who matched a season high with 33 points on 13-of-14 shooting, the Clippers were ultimately doomed by giving up 21 offensive rebounds. The sequence leading to Thompson’s game winning play was Houston’s third offensive rebound of the same possession. The Clippers had two possessions late to tie or win the game, but crucial errors an offensive foul on Kawhi Leonard and an inbound violation by Nicolas Batum sealed their third straight loss and eighth in nine games.

Looking ahead, the future outlook for the Clippers vs Rockets dynamic is headed in opposite directions. The Rockets, led by Alperen Sengun (22 points, 15 rebounds) and Jabari Smith Jr. (18 points), proved their resilience and their depth is growing, securing their 16th win of the season and validating their standing as a top three team in the Western Conference. For the Clippers (6-19), the loss is another painful reminder of their struggles, as excellent scoring from Leonard (24 points) and James Harden (22 points) was wasted. They must immediately address their rebounding and late game execution to stop the bleeding.