When Reed Sheppard picked Kobe Sanders' pocket with just over 9 minutes left in the fourth quarter, he quickly raced down the other end and scored a layup in traffic.
That bucket gave the Rockets' their largest lead in the first night of a home back-to-back against the Los Angeles Clippers. Less than three minutes later, Sheppard sized up Clippers center Brook Lopez from the top of the key and drained a 3, once again putting Houston up by 15.
It was emblematic of a second half that was too much for the Clippers to overcome, as the Rockets won 102-95 despite a late Los Angeles rally.
All-Stars Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun led the way with 26 and 22 points, respectively. Amen Thompson and Sheppard added 16 points apiece, while Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The difference in this one was at the 3-point line, where the team shot 50 percent (14-for-28).
Houston's defense also held the Clippers to 41 percent from the field, stifling them especially in the second half.
This marks the Rockets' second straight win after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road this past Saturday. They'd like to head into the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak, which means they will have to match Tuesday night's effort when they do it all over again Wednesday at Toyota Center.