Five takeaways from the Clippers’ victory over the Houston Rockets

The Los Angeles Clippers kept pace with the Utah Jazz in a race for fourth place in the Western Conference and the home-court advantage that will go with it in the first round of the playoffs.

Here are five takeaways from the Clippers’ 125-96 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night at Staples Center:

1. It wasn’t a conventional basket by any means, but it still counted for two points for Paul Pierce just the same and it moved him up on the NBA’s scoring list.

Pierce drove to the basket and was fouled by Houston’s Troy Williams. As Pierce threw his arms out from the contact, the basketball hit his left arm and caromed into the basket.

Pierce smiled at the moment.

Though he missed the free throw, he now has 26,397 points during his 19-year NBA career, moving him past former Boston Celtics great John Havlicek for No. 15 on the league’s all-time scoring list.

2. The Clippers made 10 of 26 shots from three-point range against the Rockets, setting a franchise record in the process.

They have made 831 three-pointers this season, a single-season record.

3. Clippers Coach Doc Rivers moved past Mike Dunleavy for the most regular-season wins in franchise history, with 215.

Rivers has been with the Clippers for four seasons.

4. The Clippers shot the basketball well against the Rockets, making 50.5% of their shots.

Luc Mbah a Moute (six-for-eight), Blake Griffin (six-for-11) and DeAndre Jordan (six-for-nine) all shot the ball well. Pierce was four-for-five from the field.

5. The Clippers didn’t have any blocked shots against the Rockets, but they did take good care of the basketball.

They committed only 10 turnovers in the game.

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