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Clippers, Rockets set for L.A. showdown

Feb 26, 2014 - 3:32 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Two of the NBA's best offenses will be on display Wednesday night at Staples Center when the Houston Rockets visit the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers score 107.3 points per game to come in second, while the Rockets are third in the NBA in offense with an average of 106.5 ppg. Both teams trail the Portland Trail Blazers (107.7 ppg).

It's no coincidence that these two teams are also among the best in the NBA record-wise. Houston owns the fifth-best mark, while the Clippers are sixth.

The Rockets won their second straight Tuesday night and for the third time in four games on this current road sojourn, which ends Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Houston demolished the Sacramento Kings, 129-103.

It was the James Harden show on Tuesday night as the All-Star guard went off for a season-high 43 points and he didn't even play a second in the fourth quarter.

Harden went on a personal 18-5 run in the final 3:45 of the first quarter and finished with 22 points after 12 minutes to help the Rockets to a 42-17 lead.

The Arizona State product also dished out eight assists to go along with three steals, joining Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only Rockets in the last 25 years with 40 points, eight assists, and three steals in a game.

"I was feeling good," said Harden. "Shots were falling, you get to the line, just playing my game, playing my game at a high level."

Dwight Howard finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Terrence Jones and Chandler Parsons had 11 and 10 points, respectively, in Houston's 10th win in its last 11 games.

The Clippers also have a two-game winning streak heading into Wednesday's contest. They knocked off the vaunted Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, then took out the New Orleans Pelicans by 13 on Monday. Both wins were on the road.

Jamal Crawford shot 7-of-12 from behind the arc and logged 24 points, Blake Griffin chipped in 22 points and Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan each posted gaudy double-doubles in the triumph.

The Clippers made 16 3-pointers and had 34 assists on 43 made baskets.

"When you play that unselfish with that many good players, a lot of good things are going to happen," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said.

Earlier on Monday, the Clippers signed Glen Davis, recently bought out by the Orlando Magic. He will provide valuable bench depth, although he's listed as questionable on Wednesday with a strained right Achilles.

The Clippers have won both of this season's meetings with the Rockets, with one in L.A. and the other in Houston. The Rockets have dropped five straight as the visitor in this series.