The Los Angeles Lakers wanted to decide the series early, but instead suffered a complete collapse. The Houston Rockets exploited their weaknesses mercilessly to keep the series alive.
The Los Angeles Lakers got off to a solid start and built up a small lead early on. LeBron James (10 points, 9 assists) in particular set the tone early on and the offense also worked reasonably well. However, the game slowly tipped over in the first quarter as Houston stepped up the intensity in defense. They forced the Lakers to make mistakes and took control towards the end of the period.
The Lakers’ problems became ever clearer in the second quarter. They lost the ball more and more, shots from outside hardly fell and Houston consistently exploited every uncertainty. Los Angeles conceded a total of 23 turnovers, from which the Rockets generated 30 points. At the same time, the Lakers shot disastrously from distance (5/22 threes). By half-time, they had built up a clear deficit (48:56).
No comeback: Lakers give up early
The Rockets finally decided the game after the break. Led by Amen Thompson (23 points, 7 assists) and Alperen Sengün (19, 6 rebounds), Houston quickly extended its lead. The Lakers hardly found any solutions in offense and had little grip in defense. A further setback followed with the disqualification of Deandre Ayton (top scorer with 19, 10 rebounds) after a Flagrant 2 foul and the deficit grew to over 20 points.
The game was over early in the final quarter. The Lakers were no longer able to reduce the deficit and took their starters off the court several minutes before the end. Houston finished the game in commanding fashion and was rewarded.
While Houston seized its chance and prevented a sweep, the Lakers had to react after this poor performance. The series now goes back to Los Angeles.
