Nobody was going to confuse this for a track meet. This was an old-school playoff game \u2014 with a couple of old-school superstars \u2014 in every sense; bodies on the floor, plenty of contested possessions and defense dictating the pace from the opening tip.<\/p>\n
Through it all, LeBron James<\/a> was the steadiest presence on the floor, and it showed in the result. The Lakers<\/a> won Game 2 of their first-round series against the Rockets 101-94 Tuesday night, taking a commanding 2-0 series lead heading to Houston<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Here are three key takeaways from Game 2:<\/p>\n Lakers’ defense sets the tone, breaks Kevin Durant<\/a><\/p>\n The Lakers held Houston to under 41% shooting for the second straight game, only this time the Rockets had Kevin Durant back in the lineup. Durant looked like himself in the first half, scoring 20 of Houston\u2019s 50 points.<\/p>\n But once the third quarter got underway, Los Angeles<\/a> attacked Durant \u2014 frequent and random traps, full-court pressure and aggressive doubles that came from different angles at different times. There was no pattern to it, which was the point. Every time Durant caught the ball, he had to make a decision under duress. The result was one point in the third quarter and two points in the final frame, with nine turnovers on the night. His inability to get clean looks made Houston’s offensive scheme stagnant and ineffective. Some of that does fall on coaching; Ime Udoka\u2019s rotations were lacking and countermeasures were nonexistent.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The tone was set by Marcus Smart<\/a>. From the opening whistle, he was everywhere\u2014finishing with five steals and a block, applying relentless on-ball pressure and bringing a physicality that spread throughout the entire unit. When your best defender plays with that kind of energy, it becomes contagious. Houston never found its rhythm because the Lakers never let them.<\/p>\n Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn\u2019s not doing enough<\/p>\n \u015eeng\u00fcn finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds but still cost Houston the game. He shot 9-of-20 from the field but 9-of-19 in the paint \u2014 47% in the area where he’s supposed to dominate. He missed makeable looks at the rim that would have shifted momentum in a relatively close game.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Worse, there were stretches when he was fishing for fouls and laboring through possessions trying to draw calls that work in the regular season but won\u2019t get called in the postseason. With Durant turning it over and the bench and role players providing next to nothing (besides Jabari Smith Jr.<\/a> and Amen Thompson<\/a>), \u015eeng\u00fcn is the one player capable of being an unwavering presence inside. He wasn’t, and Houston is going back home having lost a game they won on the glass as they normally do. Fifty-four paint points, 17 offensive rebounds and 21 second-chance points \u2014 all good for Houston. But \u015eeng\u00fcn specifically needs to convert around the rim and step up as the second-best player for the Rockets.<\/p>\n Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard<\/a> are true X-factors<\/p>\n Luke Kennard shot 8-of-13 for 23 points. Marcus Smart shot 8-of-13 for 25, with five 3s on seven attempts and seven assists. Those two also combined to go 8-of-13 from 3; Houston’s entire team shot 7-of-20 (24%) from 3.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The Lakers are shooting the ball at a different level than the Rockets, and it’s coming from players Houston doesn\u2019t appear ready for. For the Rockets to right the ship in Houston for Game 3, someone besides Durant, Smith and Thompson needs to shine. Tari Eason<\/a> shot 4-of-14. Reed Sheppard<\/a> barely played and, along with Aaron Holiday<\/a> and Jae\u2019Sean Tate, the trio combined to go 0-for-8 from the floor.<\/p>\n