Well, now isn’t this an interesting turn of events. After two games, the Los Angeles Lakers hold a 2-0 series lead over the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Entering the series, the Lakers were down two of their three best players, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. When it was announced that they would miss this round, or at least the majority of it, their backs were against the wall. Let’s dive into last night’s semi-shocking win!

Rockets’ Superstar Returns

After diving for a loose ball in practice and missing game one with a right knee contusion, Kevin Durant returned for Game 2. KD was cooking in the first half, scoring 11 in the opening frame and a perfect second quarter. He scored nine points on 2/2 from the floor, 5/5 from the charity stripe, and was one of the main contributors in cutting the Lakers’ 15-point first-half lead to a mere three-point lead at the half.

The Houston Rockets got back in the game as they did in Game 1, forcing consecutive turnovers and bad shots on one end while generating open, high-percentage shots on the other, and going on a 14-0 run. The 10 offensive rebounds they generated in the first half of Game 2 were a reflection of their dominance of Game 1 on the offensive glass. Despite double-digit offensive boards and outshooting the Lakers 48-40 in the first half, H-Town trailed LA 54-51.

Lakers’ Role Players Hotter Than Fish Grease

After winning Game 1, I was skeptical whether the Lakers’ role players would continue their stellar play. Marcus Smart made his presence known from the opening tip. In the first quarter, he scored 14 points on 5/7 shooting and an extremely efficient 3/4 from beyond the arc. However, the former Defensive Player of the Year made his mark on the defensive end with two steals as well. When it was announced that KD was playing, I wondered who would guard him. Smart said, “It is I,” by taking the challenge early and often.

Luke Kennard was exceptional in the first quarter as well, with 10 points on 2/3 shooting from three. When the Lakers acquired him at the trade deadline, I said that it’s just what the doctor, or the King, ordered. His sharpshooting ability was one of the biggest factors in why they won Game 1, he was just as impactful last night.

Halftime Adjustments

After the halftime intermission, LA turned up the heat on defense. In the 3rd quarter, they dominated in a way I didn’t know they could. The Lakeshow held the Rockets to 7/21 shooting and 0/7 from distance. What was most noteworthy was their defense on KD. As previously mentioned, he was cooking with 20 points at half.

In the 3rd quarter, he played 10 minutes, scored 1 point, and took 1 shot. Holding Durant to one field goal attempt is ridiculous. He’s been a walking bucket for the past 18 years and can get his shot whenever he wants. At a certain point, if you’re the superstar on your team, get your shots up. He’s the best player on Houston by far, even at 37 years old. You can’t score 20 points at the half of a “must-win” game and finish the game with 23 points.

The King Delivers

Despite the Lakers keeping the Rockets at bay for the majority of the game, Houston would cut the deficit to three with 6:38 to go in the game. From that point on, LeBron James scored six of his nine points in the 4th quarter, scoring 28 for the game. That is who he is and what he has been for the entirety of his career. Whatever is needed for that given game, he steps up and shows out. He’s been the best player on the court and the most impactful player in this series. It hasn’t been particularly close either.

LA closed Game 2 and won 101-94 to take a stranglehold on this series. Here are your top performers from last night’s game:

• LeBron James: 28 Points, 8 Rebounds, 7 Assists
• Marcus Smart: 25 Points, 7 Assists, 5 Steals, 5 3PM
• Alperen Sengun: 20 Points, 11 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 4 Steals, 2 Blocks

Final Thoughts

You can put a fork in Houston, they’re done. This series is over. Despite the talent this Rockets team has, the Lakers are the better basketball team. JJ Reddick has coached laps around Ime Udoka through the first two games, and I don’t see anything changing. Do you think that the Rockets can come back and win the series, or should the Lakers book their tickets to OKC already?

As always, thank you so much for checking out my thoughts and recap on the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Houston Rockets last night to take a 2-0 series lead! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day and look forward to seeing you again soon.