Houston @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 13, 2019 ) L.A. Clippers 93, Houston 102

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were part of a victory in their first time together on the court and the duo looks for another when the Los Angeles Clippers host the Houston Rockets on Friday. Leonard (knee) returned from a three-game absence and George (offseason shoulder surgeries) played his fourth game of the season in Wednesday's 107-104 overtime win over the Boston Celtics.

Leonard scored 17 points but was just 7-of-20 shooting while George recorded 25 points and eight assists in the successful first pairing in terms of the victory column. "The fact of the matter is we are going to have growing pains, and I think the most positive thing is we understood that," George told reporters afterward. "Nobody was pointing fingers or dropping their heads in huddles. ... At no point was this team ever dysfunctional." The Rockets had an eight-game winning streak snapped with Wednesday's 105-95 setback, their lowest scoring output of the season. Star guard James Harden scored 27 - snapping a streak of at least 36 in eight straight games - and he torched the Clippers for 47 in a 102-93 home win over Nov. 13.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (11-4): Harden only took 16 shots against Denver - he hoisted 41 against Minnesota on Saturday - and Houston was just 12-of-38 from 3-point range but he shot down the notion that the Nuggets had successfully blanketed the attack. "They just double-teamed every possession," Harden told reporters. "They got lucky. They got away with one. We didn't execute how we needed to." Center Clint Capela collected 21 rebounds and recorded 20 or more in five straight games, the best such streak since Ben Wallace of the Pistons also had five straight in March of 2003.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (10-5): While Leonard and George were drawing double teams, Lou Williams (27 points) scored at will and Patrick Beverley had a superb all-around game with a career-best 16 rebounds to go along with 14 points and seven assists. Leonard and George each played 37 minutes against Boston and their fitness could be tested by the fast-paced Rockets as they learn to play with one another. "It's pretty much just finding each other's spots and knowing the plays," Leonard said of potential improvement. "It's still tough. We are both kind of on a minute restriction - hard to get into a flow. But just knowing plays and each other's spots and the language on the defensive end. Repetition is what we need right now."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Rockets won four of the past six meetings.

2. Houston F Danuel House Jr. (shoulder) departed the Denver game and is unlikely to play Friday.

3. Los Angeles SG Landry Shamet (ankle) could miss his sixth straight game.

PREDICTION: Rockets 111, Clippers 107