The Los Angeles Lakers picked up a 104-98 win over the Houston Rockets in the Crypto.com Arena tonight. This was their 46th win of the season and brings them within 2.5 games of the No. 2 seed and one game behind the No. 3 seed.
The Lakers’ best player tonight was arguably Dorian Finney-Smith, with 20 points (6-13 FG), six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and three blocks off the bench. Luka Doncic had 20 points (6-16 FG), six rebounds, and nine assists, while Gabe Vincent had 20 points (6-14 FG) off the bench. LeBron James had 18 points (5-12 FG) and eight rebounds. Austin Reaves managed 12 points (5-11 FG) and eight boards.
The Rockets were led by Amen Thompson’s 20 points (8-14 FG) and five rebounds, with Dillon Brooks contributing 16 points (5-14 FG) and five rebounds. Jabari Smith Jr. had 15 points (6-10 FG) and 11 rebounds off the bench, while Alperen Sengun had 14 points (5-11 FG), seven rebounds, and six assists. Tari Eason scored 13 points (6-11 FG) off the bench as well.
Let’s take a look at the major takeaways from this Playoff-caliber clash.
A Fascinating Bench Battle
This was a game where the bench made the winning contributions on both ends. The Lakers’ big three of LeBron, Luka, and Austin were struggling in the face of the aggressive Rockets’ defense, giving opportunity to role-players off the bench such as Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent. Both players combined to make 12 threes and score 40 points, making the difference-making contributions in the win.
The Rockets had some big performances off the bench, too, which completely altered their clutch-time lineup. Jabari Smith Jr. put up a double-double off the bench while Tari Eason was scoring efficiently, leading Ime Udoka to bench Jalen Green in the fourth to keep a defensive lineup with Jabari or Tari being a presence on the floor.
In what was a defensive battle, these contributions off the bench were crucial in what was a Playoff-level battle. The stars were all game-planned for successfully, leaving room open for some game-changing contributions from players you wouldn’t normally expect it from.
A Rough Offensive Game Caused By Excellent Defense
Every now and again, fans watch an NBA game where two teams are playing objectively bad basketball. This can be seen through missing easy shots or playing with a lack of effort. Although the offensive numbers of the Lakers and Rockets game look shockingly bad, it was a result of both teams playing some of the best defense we’ve seen in any recent clash.
The Lakers shot a dreadful 35-89 (39.3 FG%) from the field but had an average outside shooting night with 16-46 (34.8 3P%). In normal games, these offensive numbers would guarantee a loss for the Lakers, but their defense gave Houston an equal amount of hell. The Rockets shot 37-89 (41.6 FG%), edging the Lakers out on two-pointers but failing to convert from beyond, going 10-31 (31.2 3P%) from three.
The Rockets also managed to cough up 15 turnovers to the Lakers’ 11, with 11 of the Rockets turnovers resulting in direct steals for the Lakers. We’ve seen the flashes of the high defensive ceiling the Lakers have played with in recent months, but tonight was another reminder that they can guard opponents at an incredibly high level.
Big Three Can’t Let This Happen Again
The Lakers were fortunate to get the performances they got from the likes of Dorian and Gabe tonight, as they both performed well-above their season averages. These nights aren’t the norm for them, with the sluggish night from Doncic, LeBron, and Reaves not being the norm for them either.
Dorian and Gabe stepped up tonight, but the Lakers need to ensure their offense primarily comes from their three offensive magnets. LeBron’s size and strength have made him an incredible defensive tool for the Lakers, arguably being their second-best defender tonight behind Finney-Smith. Slower offensive nights from him make sense, but not if he’s seeing both Luka and Reaves struggle as well.
Doncic got off to a hot start before cooling considerably in the second half, while Reaves never even got clear opportunities in the face of Houston’s defense. They need defenses to bend to their will to succeed, with the Rockets sticking to their gameplan and making life impossible for all three stars on offense.
It’s unlikely the Lakers can steal wins when all three of their main offensive weapons are as flat as they wound up being tonight. After hitting an offensive peak in their last win, this was a sobering reality despite the positive outcome.
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