Clippers vs. Houston Rockets preview

The Clippers will play the Houston Rockets on Wednesday in what will be their first home game after an eight-game trip as well as their final game before the All-Star break.

The Clippers snapped their season-high four-game losing streak Monday with a 115-98 win over the Dallas Mavericks. In that game, DeAndre Jordan had a career-high 27 rebounds and a season-high-tying 22 points, giving him a 20-20 only eight days after the first 20-20 performance of his career.

The Clippers announced Monday that they will be without their superstar power forward Blake Griffin for at least three weeks after he had surgery Monday to remove a staph infection in his right elbow. They are 1-1 so far without Griffin, falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, 131-108, before Monday’s win over the Mavericks. This season Griffin is averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists on 50.1% shooting.

The Houston Rockets will be without their superstar center Dwight Howard, who will miss his ninth straight game because of a right knee injury. Howard averages 16.3 points and 11 rebounds.

The Clippers (34-19) are in sixth place in the Western Conference, 2 1/2 games behind the third-place Rockets (36-16). The Rockets enter Wednesday’s game having won seven of their last nine games.

The Clippers have won five straight against Houston and 10 of the teams’ last 11 matchups.