Lakers Narrowly Triumph Over Rockets for Crucial Victory

The Los Angeles Lakers capitalized on the Houston Rockets’ fatigue, sneaking away with a 104-98 victory Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. Although this win wasn’t flashy, as the Rockets were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, it significantly boosts the Lakers’ quest for a top seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Despite a challenging start, both teams were evenly matched at halftime after a sluggish first quarter. They collectively shot a mere 14-50 in the initial 12 minutes, leaving the Lakers with just 16 points. However, Luka Dončić and the Lakers rallied, equalizing by halftime, highlighted by a remarkable move from Dončić that floored Rockets’ Alperen Şengün.

The Lakers finally managed to take control in the dying minutes, nearly faltering in the process, but benefitted from a depleted Rockets team. In the last five minutes, the Rockets managed only two field goals, while the Lakers hit crucial shots in the final moments to secure their six-point triumph. They only managed eight points in those final five minutes—half of which were free throws—but James delivered a pivotal block on Şengün, and Dillon Brooks missed a crucial 3-pointer in Houston’s last chance.

Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 20 points and five rebounds, while Brooks contributed 16 points, part of five Houston players who scored in double figures despite the defeat.

Dončić was close to a triple-double with 20 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Off the bench, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent each contributed 20 points, sinking a total of 12 three-pointers between them. LeBron James rounded off the game with 16 points and eight rebounds. The Lakers’ shooting was only 39%—the lowest this season in a winning effort.

The Lakers entered Monday’s game trailing the Rockets, who hold a 49-27 record and are second in the Western Conference standings, by 3.5 games. The Oklahoma City Thunder currently leads the conference as the only team to secure a playoff berth, looking firm in their No. 1 spot.

The Western Conference remains tight, with the Lakers initially in fourth place, 1.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets and 1.5 games ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies. This victory narrows their gap with the Nuggets to one game and leaves them 2.5 games away from second place—a goal still within reach.

The Lakers face a challenging remaining schedule with seven games left. They will face the Thunder twice in Oklahoma City, meet the Rockets again, and host the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. While there’s potential to drop to a play-in tournament spot, Monday’s win was crucial in boosting their chances to secure a top postseason seed.