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Rockets defeat Lakers in Reaves’s return, force Game 6 in NBA playoffs
TL;DR
The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 99-93 in Game 5, forcing a Game 6 in their playoff series. Jabari Smith Jr led the Rockets with 22 points, while Austin Reaves scored 22 points in his return for the Lakers.
Key points
- Rockets defeated Lakers 99-93 in Game 5
- Jabari Smith Jr scored 22 points
- Rockets trail series 3-2 after being down 3-0
- Austin Reaves returned with 22 points for Lakers
- No NBA team has rallied from 3-0 to win a series
Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers
Jabari Smith Jr scored 22 points and Tari Eason added 18 as the Houston Rockets fought off elimination for a second consecutive game and crawled back into their first-round, Western Conference playoff series with a 99-93 road victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Alperen Sengun scored 14 points with nine rebounds and eight assists while Amen Thompson added 15 points for the Rockets, who now trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series after falling into a 3-0 hole. No NBA team has rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.
“Everybody feels amazing,” Sengun said of his team. “Nobody is tired and today everybody showed it. Now, we’re going in front of our families, our fans, we’re gonna protect our home and come back here for Game 7.”
The consecutive Rockets victories have come without star Kevin Durant (ankle), who has only played in Game 2.
Star guard Austin Reaves scored 22 points off the bench in his return from an oblique injury and LeBron James added 25 points for the Lakers. Deandre Ayton scored 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for Los Angeles, which will get a third chance to clinch the series on Friday at Houston.
“You have to give them credit,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of the Rockets. “They made shots tonight, including some guys who don’t normally make threes. I think our defence, you hope 99 (points allowed) is enough to win, and we just couldn’t make shots. Missed some layups, certainly had some good looks from 3 that didn’t go down.”
The Lakers continue to be without All-Star Luka Doncic (hamstring), who was injured along with Reaves in an April 2 game at Oklahoma City. Both players missed the last five regular-season games and the first four playoff games.
“It was nice to get back out there, obviously,” Reaves said. “I wish I would have played a little better. I wish I would have made a couple more shots, but at the end of the day, I had fun out there and it was good to compete.”
Jabari Smith Jr led the Rockets with 22 points and collected seven rebounds in Game 5 [Adam Pantozzi/Getty Images via AFP]
‘Didn’t shoot it great’
The Lakers appeared determined to close out the series by taking an 11-point lead with a minute remaining in the first quarter and leading 28-21 after the opening period.
The Rockets stormed back to produce a 30-19 advantage in the second quarter and led 51-47 at halftime. Houston shot 6 of 12 from 3-point range in the second period and forced five turnovers.
Q&A
How did the Rockets manage to win Game 5 against the Lakers?
The Rockets won Game 5 with strong performances from Jabari Smith Jr and Tari Eason, scoring 22 and 18 points respectively.
What is the current status of the Rockets vs Lakers playoff series?
The Rockets now trail the Lakers 3-2 in the best-of-seven series after winning two consecutive games.
What impact did Austin Reaves have in his return for the Lakers?
Austin Reaves scored 22 points off the bench in his return from an oblique injury, contributing significantly to the Lakers' effort.
What are the implications of the Rockets' comeback from a 3-0 deficit?
No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, making the Rockets' current situation historically significant.
