The Houston Rockets survived another elimination attempt and kept their NBA Playoffs hopes alive. Despite the return of star Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Houston Rockets in Game 5, with Houston winning 99-93 on the road.The series now stands at 3-2 in favor of the Lakers, with Game 6 set for Friday in Houston.
Background: How We Got Here
The Lakers vs Houston Rockets first-round series began as a major mismatch on paper. The Lakers entered as the No. 4 seed and quickly jumped to a commanding 3-0 lead. However, this was happening without two of their biggest stars.
The Lakers continue to be without All-Star Luka Doncic due to a hamstring injury. Both Doncic and Reaves were injured in an April 2 game at Oklahoma City and missed the last five regular-season games and first four playoff games.Despite those absences, the Lakers somehow built a 3-0 lead that had the Rockets on the brink of a sweep.
The Rockets avoided a sweep by beating the Lakers 115-96 in Game 4 on Sunday, constructing their best start-to-finish performance of the series with better shooting, sharper focus, and fewer mistakes. That momentum carried into Rockets vs Lakers Game 5.
Rockets vs Lakers Game 4 Recap
Before diving into Lakers vs Rockets Game 5, it’s important to understand how dominant Houston was in Game 4. The Lakers committed 24 turnovers, which the Rockets converted into 30 points. Houston’s defensive versatility helped contain the Lakers’ offense, and the Rockets tied a franchise record for steals in a playoff game with 17.
Tari Eason collected five steals, adding 20 points and eight rebounds. Amen Thompson had a game-high 23 points plus seven assists and four rebounds in Game 4, following up his massive Game 3 performance of 26 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks.The Rockets entered Game 5 with genuine belief they could pull off the impossible a comeback from 3-0 down.
Game 5 Details: Rockets Win Again, 99-93
The Rockets vs Lakers Game 5 live action began with Los Angeles looking determined. The Lakers appeared determined to close out the series by taking an 11-point lead with a minute remaining in the first quarter and leading 28-21 after the opening period.
But Houston responded with one of their best quarters of the series. The Rockets stormed back to produce a 30-19 advantage in the second quarter and led 51-47 at halftime. Houston shot 6 of 12 from 3-point range in the second period and forced five turnovers.
The third quarter is where the Rockets truly seized control. They extended their advantage to 76-67 heading into the fourth. The Lakers shot 46.1% on 3-pointers through the first three games of the series and dropped to 24.5% from that range in the two losses, including 7-for-27 1-for-10 in the fourth quarter in Game 5.
Los Angeles used an 11-1 run to pull within 88-85 on a James layup with 2:59 left in the game, but could not get any closer. James and Reaves combined to miss three 3-point attempts over the final 28 seconds.The Rockets held on to win 99-93 and force a Game 6.
Key Performers: Lakers vs Rockets Game 5 Stats
Houston Rockets Game 5: Jabari Smith Jr. was the standout performer. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points and collected seven rebounds to lead the Rockets. Tari Eason chipped in 18 points on efficient shooting. Alperen Sengun scored 14 points with nine rebounds and eight assists, while Amen Thompson added 15 points for Houston.
Los Angeles Lakers Game 5: Austin Reaves returned for the contest and eclipsed 20 points, but few other Lakers showed up as offense was hard to come by. Reaves finished with 22 points, six assists and four rebounds in 34 minutes. LeBron had a quiet first half before turning it on in the second, finishing with 25 points and seven rebounds. Deandre Ayton had one of his best games as a Laker, finishing with a double-double of 18 points and 17 rebounds.
The cold shooting from distance was the story for LA. LeBron James, who had 25 points and seven assists, was 0-for-6 on 3s. Austin Reaves was 2-for-8 from three. Luke Kennard, the NBA’s leader in 3-point percentage during the regular season, was 0-for-2 and scored just one point in Game 5.
The turnovers were costly once again. The Lakers shot 42.1% from the field and 25.9% from 3-point range, paired with 15 turnovers leading to 18 Houston points.
Austin Reaves’ Return: Not Enough for LA
The big storyline heading into Lakers vs Rockets Game 5 was the return of Austin Reaves. Reaves expressed cautious optimism ahead of the game and had gone through his full progression 1-on-1s, 3-on-3s, 5-on-5s with no setbacks. He suffered a Grade 2 oblique muscle strain in the April 2 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Reaves returned to the lineup and made an immediate impact early, getting an assist to Deandre Ayton, hitting a 3-pointer as part of eight consecutive Lakers points, and giving the Lakers a 28-18 lead. He had eight points and four assists in his first nine minutes.
However, he could not sustain that early dominance. Reaves finished with 22 points on 4-16 shooting, six assists and four rebounds. “I missed a lot of easy looks, and we didn’t shoot it great as a team,” Reaves said. “We’ll watch film, try to get better and try to win a game Friday.”
Quotes from Coaches and Players
Houston coach Ime Udoka was full of praise for his young squad after another elimination-game win.
Udoka said: “Big-time performances by everybody across the board. You’re starting a really young lineup and they are somewhat battle-tested now.You want to show growth, and I think we did that tonight when they trapped late, handled it with poise, got the shots we wanted and made our free throws.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick acknowledged his team’s shooting woes. Redick said of the Rockets: “You have to give them credit. They made shots tonight, including some guys who don’t normally make threes. You hope 99 points allowed is enough to win, and we just couldn’t make shots. Missed some layups, certainly had some good looks from 3 that didn’t go down.”
Alperen Sengun captured the mood in the Houston locker room simply. “Everybody feels amazing,” Sengun said of his team after the win.
Kevin Durant Injury Update
One of the biggest sub-plots in this series has been the absence of Rockets star Kevin Durant. Rockets star Kevin Durant has missed three of the four games in the series with injuries, and he didn’t participate in practice in Houston on Tuesday before the team flew to Los Angeles ahead of Game 5. His status for Game 6 remains uncertain and could prove to be the decisive factor in whether the series extends to a deciding Game 7.
Impact: Can the Rockets Complete the Impossible?
The stakes for Rockets vs Lakers Game 6 could not be higher. No NBA team has ever rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. Teams trailing 3-0 are 0-159 all-time.Houston is trying to do what has never been done in NBA history.
Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, May 1, at 9:30 PM ET in Houston, available on Prime Video. The Lakers will have another shot to close it out, this time on the road.
The series averages tell an interesting story. LeBron James leads the Lakers with 22.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. Alperen Sengun leads Houston at 21.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game across the series.
Conclusion: What Comes Next?
The Lakers vs Houston Rockets series is far from over, but the pressure now firmly shifts back onto the Lakers. The purple and gold still lead the series 3-2 and will get a third chance to clinch the series on Friday in Houston.
If Los Angeles can sort out their 3-point shooting and reduce their turnover numbers, they should have enough to close out this series. But the Rockets are clearly a team that believes — and a young, athletic team playing with the freedom of having nothing to lose is always dangerous. Game 6 promises to be unmissable.
FAQs
Did LeBron get injured in Game 5?
No, LeBron James did not suffer any injury during Lakers vs Rockets Game 5. He played the full game and finished with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. However, he was inefficient from three-point range, going 0-for-6 from beyond the arc. The Lakers’ two injured stars remain Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves, who returned from his oblique strain in Game 5.
Is Kevin Durant out for Game 6? Kevin Durant’s status is uncertain heading into Rockets vs Lakers Game 6. Durant has missed three of the four games in this series with injuries and did not participate in practice ahead of Game 5.There has been no confirmation of his availability for Friday’s game in Houston.
Who is favored in the Lakers Rockets series?
The Los Angeles Lakers are favored to win the series, holding a 3-2 lead with two potential chances to close it out. According to the current win probability data, the Rockets hold a 61% chance of winning Game 6 on their home court, while the Lakers stand at 39%. However, the Lakers only need one win from the remaining games and remain the overall series favorites.
