Houston Rockets shoot 64 free throws in Game 2 win over Clippers

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Clippers forward Blake Griffin and Rockets guard James Harden battle for a loose ball in the second half of Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rockets center Dwight Howard throws down a dunk against the Clippers in the fourth quarter of Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rockets center Dwight Howard blocks a dunk attempt by Clippers forward Blake Griffin in the fourth quarter of Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rockets forward Trevor Ariza can’t grab a rebound next to Clippers forward Matt Barnes (22) during Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rockets guard Jason Terry (above) and Clippers forward Hedo Turkoglu wrestle for a loose ball in Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Hedo Turkoglu fouls Rockets forward Trevor Ariza as he tries to score in Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rockets forward Terrence Jones blocks a shot by Clippers guard Austin Rivers in Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Matt Barnes fouls Rockets forward Corey Brewer on layup during Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Blake Griffin has the ball knocked away by Rockets guard James Harden (13) while bringing it up court in Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rockets center Dwight Howard falls onto Clippers guard Lester Hudson after being fouled by L.A. center DeAndre Jordan (not pictured) in Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers center DeAndre Jordan fouls Rockets center Dwight Howard in Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Matt Barnes, left, blocks a shot by Rockets forward Terrence Jones in the first half of Game 2 on Wednesday night in Houston.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Rockets center Dwight Howard fouls Clippers guard Austin Rivers as he attempts a layup in the first half of Game 2.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Blake Griffin tries to hold his position as Rockets center Dwight Howard works in the post in the first half of Game 2.

(David Phillip / Associated Press)

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Clippers forward Blake Griffin works in the post against Rockets forward Josh Smith in the first half of Game 2 on Wednesday night in Houston.

(Scott Halleran / Getty Images)

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Rockets forward Josh Smith knocks the ball from the grasp of Clippers forward Blake Griffin on a drive to the basket in the first half of Game 2.

(David Phillip / Associated Press)

By Melissa Rohlin

May 7, 2015 11:12 AM PT

The Houston Rockets won Game 2 at the free-throw line.

They shot 64 free throws, twice as many as the Clippers (32). The Rockets scored 42 points from the charity stripe, while the Clippers only had 25.

“You’re not going to win many games when the other team shoots 64 free throws and they make more free throws than we even attempted,” Blake Griffin said after the Rockets’ 115-109 win.

The Rockets shot 25 free throws in the third quarter while the Clippers shot seven. In the fourth quarter, the Rockets shot 18 free throws while the Clippers shot 10.

The Clippers used a 10-2 run to cut a 12-point deficit to four, 111-107, with one minute left. In the final minute alone, the Rockets shot six free throws while the Clippers only attempted two.

“They shot 117 free throws tonight,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers joked Wednesday evening.

Rockets’ shooting guard James Harden made each of his 15 free-throw attempts. Rockets’ center Dwight was sent to the free-throw line 21 times, nearly twice as many times as Blake Griffin, who attempted the most free throws for the Clippers with 11.

Blake Griffin said the Clippers weren’t using the hack-a-whoever strategy. He added that maybe the Rockets just succeeded in getting the referees’ attention when it counted most.

“We got to do a better job, I guess, of making it more obvious,” Griffin said.

The Rockets’ win in Game 2 evened the team’s second-round playoff series at 1-1. Game 3 will be in Los Angeles on Friday at 7:30 p.m. PDT.

Follow Melissa Rohlin on Twitter @melissarohlin