Just six days ago, the Los Angeles Lakers were up 3-0 on the Houston Rockets and appeared to be in complete control. Last night, LA had an opportunity to close H-Town out at home and fell just short. With the series heading to Houston 3-2, everything’s on the line for the Lakers. Let’s dive into last night’s game and if they’re in jeopardy!

Lakers Squander Opportunity

We know the history of NBA teams that fall to a 3-0 hole. No team has ever come back from that deficit to win a series. After the Houston Rockets forced a Game 5 with a dominant home win, many believed the Lakers would take care of business at home. With the return of Austin Reaves, it appeared that everything was lining up for the Lakers to close out the Rockets. That wouldn’t be the case.

LA would jump all over Houston in the first quarter with a double-digit lead. Then the Lakers started to turn the ball over in the second quarter. Their five turnovers led to nine points, which might not seem like much, but it was the same thing that allowed the Rockets to get back into games where the Purple and Gold appeared to have firm control. H-Town would turn that double-digit deficit into a 51-47 lead at halftime.

When it rains, it pours. After the intermission, the Rockets would grow their lead over the Lakers to 11 and would sit with a comfortable 6-11 point lead for the rest of the quarter. Jabari Smith Jr. was excellent in keeping the powers of LA at bay with 6 of his team-high 22 points in the frame.

Entering the 4th, trailing Houston 76-67, it was time for the LakeShow to give it one last push. With just under 10 minutes to play and down by 13, LeBron James would lead the charge with an 11-1 run, scoring 11 of his 25 points in the fourth. With the game hanging in the balance, 88-85 with 2:37 to play, Reed Sheppard would answer the call with a clutch mid-range pull-up jumper to extend it back to a two-possession lead. Then, Sheppard stole the ball from LeBron and dunked it to push the lead even further.

In the blink of an eye, that last-ditch effort from the Lakers was in vain. In literally 17 seconds of game time, their three-point hole turned into a seven-point nail in the coffin. This was the first time in the series where it appeared the Rockets had the upper hand in a clutch situation. Doing it against the best team in the NBA in such a clutch game was impressive, given the collapse they suffered in Game 3.

Takeaways for the Rockets

When Houston fell down early, part of me believed that this young and talented team might pack it in. They’re without Kevin Durant, and it would have been easy for this group to fold their hand. They did the opposite. Everyone contributed to their win:

• Amen Thompson – 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals
• Tari Eason – 18 points, 5 rebounds
• Alperen Sengun – 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists
• Reed Sheppard – 12 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals

They are heading back to H-Town with all the momentum a team once down 3-0 could have. The Rockets are eyeing to become the 5th team in NBA history to force a Game 7 after a historic hole. If the Lakers don’t win Game 6, the confidence this group will be playing with will be off the charts. Who knows? Maybe KD will play Friday night.

Takeaways for the Lakers

Austin Reaves finished with 22 points, but wasn’t anywhere near his efficient self, shooting 4/16 from the floor. With it being his first game in a month, I don’t expect him to be anywhere near as bad Friday night. Marcus Smart has had an exceptional series thus far. Last night was a disaster. In 37 minutes, he finished with 6 of the Lakers’ 15 turnovers. Sharpshooter Luke Kennard has been a virtual no-show the past three games, shooting 1/11 from three, after shooting 8/11 in the first two games.

Deandre Ayton dominated Sengun for the second straight game. With 18 points and 17 rebounds, he had stretches where he was the best player on the court. He is the key in Game 6 with his physicality on both ends of the court. LBJ almost pulled another rabbit out of his hat in the 4th. This team has shown that no lead is safe and can get back in the game, even if the odds seem improbable.

Final Thoughts

The Lakers aren’t in trouble. LeBron and Sengun exchanged words late in the game last night, and I believe that will light a different level of offensive aggression in the paint. I can’t wait for Game 6. What were your takeaways from last night’s game? Do you think the Lakers are in trouble after losing two straight?

As always, thank you so much for checking out my recap and thoughts on the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 6 loss, and if they’re in trouble come Friday night! 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.