{"id":641588,"date":"2026-05-01T21:13:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T21:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/641588\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T21:13:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T21:13:08","slug":"rockets-look-to-force-game-7-vs-lebron-james-lakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/641588\/","title":{"rendered":"Rockets look to force Game 7 vs. LeBron James, Lakers"},"content":{"rendered":"

HOUSTON \u2013 A week ago, the Houston Rockets\u2019 <\/a>season was all but over.<\/p>\n

The squad walked off the floor of Toyota Center after one of the most gut-wrenching playoff defeats in recent memory, blowing a six-point lead in the final 30 seconds to fall to the Los Angeles Lakers, 112\u2013108.<\/p>\n

The loss was devastating in more ways than one.<\/p>\n

It extended LA\u2019s series lead to 3\u20130, meaning the Lakers needed just one win in their next four games to advance and send Houston home. <\/p>\n

But it also shifted the broader perception of the Rockets \u2014 not just in this series, but of the team\u2019s construction as a whole.<\/p>\n

Seven days later, the pressure has flipped.<\/p>\n

The Rockets are now gearing up for a win-or-go-home Game 6 back in Houston, aiming to defy the odds in a way no NBA team has ever accomplished.<\/p>\n

ALSO READ: Reed Sheppard\u2019s performance could lead to more clutch moments from the young point guard<\/a><\/p>\n

How we got here<\/p>\n

The Rockets entered the series as clear favorites.<\/p>\n

Despite losing Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams \u2014 two key contributors \u2014 to season-ending injuries, the Lakers appeared to be in even worse shape. <\/p>\n

Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Austin Reaves, LA\u2019s top two scorers, were unavailable as the series tipped off, and the consensus was that Houston had the edge in both star power and depth.<\/p>\n

But as always, games aren\u2019t played on paper.<\/p>\n

Houston suffered a massive blow almost immediately. Kevin Durant \u2014 the team\u2019s superstar and offensive nucleus \u2014 was ruled out for Game 1 with a knee contusion suffered in practice. The Lakers capitalized, cruising to a 107\u201398 win.<\/p>\n

LA\u2019s role players stepped up in a major way. Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart \u2014 two veterans who were expected to play limited roles coming off the bench this year \u2014 suddenly became offensive engines. Meanwhile, Houston\u2019s younger, more athletic wings looked outmatched in both effort and execution.<\/p>\n

Still, there was no need to panic. Durant returned for Game 2, and Houston seemed poised to respond.<\/p>\n

Instead, things got worse.<\/p>\n

The Rockets managed just 94 points, looking disjointed whenever Durant wasn\u2019t carrying the offense. He scored 20 efficient first-half points but finished with only 23. KD was back, but the issues from Game 1 were only magnified.<\/p>\n

Even down 2\u20130, Houston had reason for optimism \u2014 both losses came on the road, and the series was shifting back home.<\/p>\n

Then came another setback: Durant was ruled out of Game 3 with an ankle sprain.<\/p>\n

The collapse in Game 3<\/p>\n

Game 3 didn\u2019t carry the same sense of doom.<\/p>\n

The Rockets lacked offensive firepower, but they fought. <\/p>\n

Down eight in the fourth quarter, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, and Alperen Sengun fueled a 27\u201313 run to give Houston a 101\u201395 lead with under a minute remaining.<\/p>\n

A missed Lakers three led to a rebound by Jae\u2019Sean Tate \u2014 effectively sealing the game. ESPN\u2019s win probability gave Houston a 97.3% chance to win at that moment.<\/p>\n

Then everything unraveled.<\/p>\n

A careless pass from Smith Jr. resulted in a turnover. On the next possession, Tate made contact with Smart as he rose of a three, committing a costly foul that gave the Lakers three free points.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, it was a one-possession game.<\/p>\n

Moments later, LeBron James pressured Houston\u2019s Reed Sheppard into another turnover, then buried a game-tying three to force overtime.<\/p>\n

Momentum had completely shifted in seconds. Overtime only confirmed what already felt inevitable: the Lakers were winning this basketball game.<\/p>\n

LA took control and closed it out. Houston didn\u2019t just lose the game \u2014 it lost its composure.<\/p>\n

The body language said everything. Head coach Ime Udoka looked furious. The moment felt too big. The lights were too bright.<\/p>\n

A team with serious championship aspirations was now staring at a first-round sweep.<\/p>\n

Flipping the script<\/p>\n

Durant remained sidelined for Game 4.<\/p>\n

From the outside, it looked like a team ready to fold \u2014 one already thinking about the offseason.<\/p>\n

Instead, Houston responded.<\/p>\n

The Rockets played with urgency and energy. No Laker scored 20+ points, and LeBron was held to just 10. <\/p>\n

LA emptied its bench early, and Houston cruised to a 19-point win. What once looked like a sweep became a \u201cgentleman\u2019s sweep\u201d scenario. It still felt destined to end in five, right?<\/p>\n

Then came Game 5.<\/p>\n

With Reaves returning from injury and Durant still out, the Lakers were expected to close things out.<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Reaves showed rust in his first game action in weeks, and the early-series heroes faded. Smart and Kennard combined for just 12 points, with Kennard scoring only a single free throw.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Houston leaned into its identity.<\/p>\n

The Rockets defended aggressively, forced tough shots, and got balanced contributions across the roster.<\/p>\n

Late in the fourth, with the lead cut to three, the tension from Game 3 resurfaced.<\/p>\n

This time, Houston delivered.<\/p>\n

Sheppard redeemed himself with a clutch sequence \u2014 a mid-range jumper, a steal off LeBron, and a fast-break dunk to seal the game.<\/p>\n

Final score: 99\u201393.<\/p>\n

Game 6 outlook<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what Houston needs to force a Game 7:<\/p>\n

Generate offense without Durant<\/p>\n

Durant has already been ruled out for Game 6. <\/p>\n

While his absence is no longer a death sentence, Houston\u2019s supporting cast must replicate its recent production.<\/p>\n

Sengun, typically the No. 2 option, shifted into more of a facilitator role in Game 5, finishing with eight assists on just nine shot attempts. That adjustment unlocked Houston\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n

If Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Amen Thompson continue to produce efficiently, the Rockets will be difficult to stop.<\/p>\n

Contain Austin Reaves<\/p>\n

Reaves scored 22 points in Game 5, but 12 came from the free-throw line, and he shot just 4-of-16 from the field.<\/p>\n

With another game under his belt, expect sharper efficiency. Limiting his perimeter scoring will be critical.<\/p>\n

The Kennard factor<\/p>\n

Kennard was electric early in the series, scoring 27 and 23 points in Games 1 and 2.<\/p>\n

Since then, he\u2019s cooled off dramatically \u2014 14, 7, and 1 point over the next three games, shooting under 25% and failing to hit a three in Games 4 and 5.<\/p>\n

His regression has coincided directly with Houston\u2019s resurgence.<\/p>\n

The paint trade-off<\/p>\n

One of the strangest trends in the series: Houston is 0\u20133 when winning the rebounding battle.<\/p>\n

That reflects a deliberate adjustment.<\/p>\n

The Rockets have gone small.<\/p>\n

Traditional bigs \u2014 including Clint Capela \u2014 have been phased out, prioritizing spacing and defensive versatility over size. Sengun has taken over as the primary center, with wings crashing the glass.<\/p>\n

The trade-off? Interior dominance from LA\u2019s DeAndre Ayton, who has posted back-to-back double-doubles, including a 17-rebound performance in Game 5.<\/p>\n

Houston has accepted that cost.<\/p>\n

If the Rockets can win the other four matchups on the floor, they\u2019re willing to concede the paint \u2014 and so far, that gamble is paying off.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 A week ago, the Houston Rockets\u2019 season was all but over. The squad walked off the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":641589,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[461,49,48,1443,8223,6695,5407,1337,459,44,6705,82],"class_list":["post-641588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-basketball","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-houston","tag-houston-rockets","tag-kevin-durant","tag-lakers","tag-local","tag-nba","tag-news","tag-rockets","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=641588"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641588\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/641589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=641588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=641588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=641588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}