Lakers beat Kevin Durant-less Rockets in Game 3, take 3-0 lead in series

HOUSTON — Lakers coach JJ Redick had a clear message before his team’s Game 3 first round playoff series matchup against the Rockets on Friday night. 

“The desperate team normally wins in the playoffs,” Redick said, “the more desperate team.”

Despite missing two of their best players in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for the entire series, the Lakers have been the better team in the matchup. And on Friday night, they were also the more desperate team.

Despite trailing by six points with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Lakers pulled off a miraculous comeback against the Kevin Durant-less Rockets, pulling off a 112-108 Game 3 victory in overtime. 

LeBron James led the Lakers with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. 

Marcus Smart had 21 points, 10 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocked shots. 

Rui Hachimura scored 22 points, including 16 in the first quarter, while Luke Kennnard added 14 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds. Jaxson Hayes had 12 points and 4 rebounds off the bench.

But the Rockets scratched and clawed their way to victory after falling behind by double digits in the first half.

Alperen Sengun (33 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists), Amen Thompson (26 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists) and Jabari Smith Jr. (24 points, 6 rebounds) all had their best games of the series so far. 

But the Lakers prevailed. 

What it means

The Lakers are up 3-0 in the best-of-seven series against the Rockets, all guaranteeing that they’ll advance to the second round of the playoffs.

No team in NBA history has come back from down 0-3 in a playoff series, with the teams that wereup 3-0 advancing all 125 times since the NBA moved to a 16-team playoff in 1984.

Turning point

With the Rockets leading 101-98 with 20 seconds left in regulation, James tapped the ball out of Sheppard’s hand from behind to Smart in the frontcourt. 

Smart passed the ball to James, who passed to Kennard, who passed back to James, who hit a corner 3-point to tie the game at 101 apiece with 14 seconds left. 

Hayes got the defensive stop on Sengun on the Rockets’ ensuing possession, with James grabbing the defensive rebound. 

James missed the potential game-winning 3 at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime.

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Co-MVPs: LeBron James and Marcus Smart

Both James and Smart made big plays in the fourth and overtime to secure the victory for the Lakers.

James had the game-changing sequence at the end of the fourth to give the Lakers a shot at winning. 

Smart had big steals, crucial offensive rebound late and knocked down several free throws to keep the Lakers ahead. 

Stat of the game: 6

That’s how many points the Rockets led by, 101-95, late in the fourth before their collapse. 

Up next

Game 4 of Lakers-Rockets is scheduled for Sunday at Toyota Center, with a 6:30 p.m. PT tipoff.