In one of the ugliest games of the season, the Clippers managed just enough offense in the fourth quarter to start their road trip on the right foot, winning 109-104.
The way the team got there was wholly unexpected. The Clippers have been one of the very best third-quarter teams in the league season, posting a plus-9.7 net rating in that frame, the second-highest in the NBA after Utah.
Given that context, the team that showed up in the third quarter in Houston Friday night was almost unrecognizable. After scoring 65 points in the first half, the Clippers put up 11 in the third quarter on 5-of-22 shooting.