Houston Rockets

How did the Clippers beat the Rockets without Chris Paul?

Published May. 5, 2015 11:09 a.m. ET

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The Los Angeles Clippers shocked the world last night by going into Houston and winning Game 1. But was there any rhyme or reason for the upset, or simply a case of sports being sports?

Here's a closer look at a few possible explanations for the loss, according to USA Today's Nate Scott:

"In the first half, the Clippers struggled to adapt their offense without the guiding hand of Chris Paul. In the second half, they started running. Thanks to great defense which led to turnovers, the Clippers were able to get out in transition and attack the basket. It was a throwback to Clippers teams of old, when they didn’t have Chris Paul to run the halfcourt offense and relied on their athleticism to get buckets."

Turnovers, lack of energy, bad James Harden and poor transition defense? All on one night? The Rockets will never survive that combination, regardless of who they're playing.

(h/t: For The Win)

Photo Credit: Thomas B. Shea/USA TODAY Sports