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Starting Lineup, May 17: Clippers-Rockets comes down to Game 7

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

History will be made on Sunday.

Either the Los Angeles Clippers will reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time ever, or the Houston Rockets will become only the second NBA franchise to complete a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit more than once.

Sunday's showdown is only the second Game 7 of this year's postseason and the Clippers will have played in both.

L.A. is looking to make it two Game 7 wins on the road in Texas this spring. For the Rockets, the last time they came back from 3-1 down to win a series, they went on to win their second straight NBA title in 1995.

Houston outscored the Clippers 51-20 from late in the third quarter of Game 6 on, overcoming a 19-point deficit to tie the series and force the seventh game at the Toyota Center. This with James Harden sitting for most of the fourth quarter.

After two dismal performances in Games 3 and 4, Dwight Howard has bounced back in the last two contests.

Dwight Howard PTS REB FG%
Games 1 & 2 21 13 71%
Games 3 & 4 10.5 10 44.2%
Games 5 & 6 20 18 54.2%

As was feared by some, the Clippers' thin bench has been running out of gas. Austin Rivers was 5-of-19 with 13 points in the last two games, and his father Doc could be on the verge of some unfortunate history.

If the Clippers come up short, Rivers would become the first coach in NBA history to lose more than one playoff series after leading 3-1. His Orlando Magic fell to the Detroit Pistons that way in 2003.

Rivers has more recent history on his side, however.

Here is Sunday's projected starting lineup.

Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets, 3:30 p.m. ET

Position Rockets Clippers
PG Jason Terry Chris Paul
SG James Harden J.J. Redick
SF Trevor Ariza Matt Barnes
PF Josh Smith Blake Griffin
C Dwight Howard DeAndre Jordan

Rockets SG James Harden (illness) will play

Series tied 3-3

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