Clippers’ rally falls short against Rockets

You never quite know what you are going to get in any given quarter with the Clippers.

The most unpredictable team in the NBA was at it again Wednesday night at Staples Center, and that was not a good thing for the Clippers and their fans.

This time, the charm of a wild ride abruptly vaporized against the experienced Houston Rockets, who defeated the Clippers, 97-92. The Clippers never led and battled back from an 18-point deficit to pull within a point but couldn’t capitalize or sustain their late momentum.

That ended a modest three-game winning streak by the 8-22 Clippers, and exposed many of the issues bedeviling them through the first 30 games of the season — defensive lapses, turnovers and free-throw woes.

Blake Griffin, who had his 17th consecutive double-double with 24 points and 18 rebounds, and Eric Gordon nearly made up for those shortcomings. They also had some bonus help from rookie forward Al-Farouq Aminu.

Aminu launched a three-point attempt with 18 seconds remaining, missed it and was fouled by the Rockets’ Luis Scola. Aminu made all three free throws to cut the lead to one point.

That’s as close as they got.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well tonight,” Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “The bench didn’t shoot it well enough tonight. Our intensity wasn’t good enough.”

They had no answers, in particular, for Kevin Martin and Scola, who combined for 50 points. Martin had 28 points and made crucial free throws down the stretch.

“We gave up too many threes in the first half,” Del Negro said. “We just didn’t convert enough to make them pay.”

Hurting the Clippers earlier, however, was Gordon’s long ride on the bench in the first half. After scoring a season-high 36 points Monday in the victory against Minnesota, he went scoreless in the first half and played a mere 5:20.

Del Negro explained that Gordon was in early foul trouble, having picked up two quick ones. Unfortunately, Gordon had plenty of company on the bench in the form of Griffin and Ryan Gomes, who both picked up two early fouls as well in the first half.

Gordon said he was somewhat surprised.

“I thought I would have played a little bit, late in the second quarter,” Gordon said. “He [Del Negro] probably thought he didn’t want me to pick up my third foul in the first half.”

Gordon ultimately finished with 18 points and Griffin was a orce all night and even made a late three-pointer to get the Clippers within three points. However, he missed another three-pointer with the Clippers trailing, 95-92, in the final seconds.

He seemed to get in an extended dunk contest with buddy DeAndre Jordan, who had his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Then there was his battle in the paint with the Rockets.

Retribution came almost immediately and dramatically.

About 30 seconds after Jordan Hill inadvertently caught Griffin in the eye, Griffin powered to the basket and essentially ran over Hill.

Ever seen the highlights of the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain? Hill looked like one of those victims with nowhere to go.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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