The high-flying Houston Rockets will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets are third in the East with a solid 15-6 record. Meanwhile, it has been tough going for the Clippers with an underwhelming 6-18 record. However, the outcome of the game will largely depend on the availability of star players like Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant.

Only the Thunder and the Nuggets are ahead of the Rockets in the East, but despite that, they are heading into this game on the back of a 122-109 defeat against the Dallas Mavericks. They desperately need to bounce back, and given they are facing the 14th-placed Clippers at home, the odds are in their favour.

Are Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun Playing Tonight? Latest Injury Report on the Rockets

While the young brigade of the Houston Rockets has stepped up to the fore this season, Kevin Durant‘s presence on the court is extremely important for the Rockets, as he brings that leadership and IQ to their plays. As per the latest injury reports, the 15-time All-Star has been cleared from the injury list for Thursday’s game against the Clippers in Houston.

Durant recorded the team-high 27 points in the last game for Houston, where they fell short against the Mavericks. But it proves that he is healthy to suit up for the Rockets once again. The 37-year-old forward has a fine record against the Clippers, averaging 27.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists across 51 games throughout his illustrious career.

On the other hand, Rockets center Alperen Sengun has had a breakthrough season with the Houston-based team. The Turkish center has been filling the statsheet with great aplomb, averaging 23.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists at 50.5% shooting from the floor.

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However, Sengun has missed back-to-back games against the Suns and the Mavericks due to illness, but has been cleared for Thursday’s game against the Clippers at home.

While both the Houston stars are seemingly available for the game, players like Tari Eason (oblique) and Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) are out of contention for this game, as the forward duo are aiming for a return to action in January. Meanwhile, All-Star guard Freddie Van Vleet is another player sidelined for Houston as he is out for the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL.

Are Kawhi Leonard, James Harden Playing Tonight? Latest Injury Report on Clippers

While the Clippers continue to struggle, both their All-Star players, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, have been cleared for the away trip to Houston. Currently, there’s a lot of uncertainty around the 14th-ranked team in the West, but despite that, the two veterans will hope to put up a good fight.

Leonard has been pretty good since returning to court in late November following injuries to his foot and ankle. In the eight games since his return, the veteran forward has averaged 26.1 points, 5.4 boards, 2.6 assists, 2.3 threes, and 1.4 steals in that stretch. He even drained 20 points, three boards, and two assists on Saturday, as the Clippers suffered a 109-106 defeat against the Timberwolves.

James Harden is also playing at an All-Star level even in his 17th season in the NBA. The high-scoring point guard is averaging 26.8 points, 8.3 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals while shooting 36.7% from beyond the arc across 24 games this season. He registered 34 points, six assists, five rebounds, four steals, and one block in his 39 minutes against the Timberwolves on Saturday.

In terms of injury absentees, the Clippers will miss the services of Derrick Jones Jr, who is out with a sprained MCL, whereas Bradley Beal also remains out of contention as the star guard will undergo season-ending surgery on his left hip.

LA Clippers vs Houston Rockets Predicted Lineups

Based on the information around injuries available, here’s the predicted lineup for both teams

Both teams are expected to field strong lineups, as most of their star players are available for this game in Houston. Given the current form and the entire atmosphere around the Rockets, we expect them to use the home-court advantage and seal victory on Thursday.