Going into Friday night’s game against the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers only needed one more win to secure their place as the third seed in the West. Fortunately, they got a much-needed boost at the Crypto.com arena after the Rockets announced that five starters would be absent from the rotation tonight.
Without any of their core players, the Rockets were playing against overwhelming odds form the start. While they hung around in the first quarter, (down six points after the first 12 minutes), the Lakers proceeded to go on a 40-24 run to secure a double-digit lead by halftime. The Lakers had control for the rest of the way through, until they cruised to a massive, 31-point victory (140-109).
Luka Doncic was the game’s leading scorer. He dropped 39 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 68.4% shooting. Star guard Austin Reaves finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals on 60% shooting. Off the bench, Dorian Finney-Smith contributed 18 points and three steals on 6-8 shooting from three.
For the Rockets, Cam Whitmore was their lone bright spot with 34 points, eight rebounds, and one assist on 7-12 shooting from three. Reed Shappard dropped 14 points, three rebounds, and five assists on 35.7% shooting while Nate Williams scored 12 points, two rebounds, and one assist on 41.7% shooting.
At 50-31, the Lakers have just one more game this season before the NBA playoffs — on Sunday night afternoon against the Portland Trail Blazers. They will almost surely be resting their stars in that contest but they’ve earned the rest after a convincing victory on their home floor.
Red Hot Shooting
Since the Rockets had already secured their place in the standings, they had no real incentive to play their full lineup tonight. Without their top five players, Houston couldn’t contain the Lakers defensively and it led to a lot of open looks and easy points all night long.
The Rockets are usually one of the NBA’s best defensive teams but they allowed 140 points tonight an an abysmal defensive effort. As a team, LA shot 60.9% from the field and 51.4% from three. They also went 15-25 from the free-throw line
With a potential playoff run on the line, the Lakers answered the call tonight and kept their focus for the entire game. Offensively, guys were hitting their shots at an impressive rate an dit created the perfect conditions for a Lakers blowout.
Luka Doncic Continues His Impressive Run
In a win against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Luka Doncic finished with 45 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in an epic revenge game. He followed it up with another solid showing tonight that carried the team and set the pace offensively.
In 31 minutes, Doncic dropped 39 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 68.4% shooting. He was +15 on the floor and joined joins LeBron and Kobe as the only Lakers ever to have multiple games with: 35+ points, five or more rebounds, five or more assists, and at least five threes.
Since his blockbuster trade form Dallas in February, Luka has been working hard to adjust to his new surroundings but the transition hasn’t been easy so far and there have been some major growing pains. Finally, he’s starting to get comfortable on the floor again and tonight’s performance could be a sign that he’s back to his peak form.
Ball Movement Got Everyone Involved
Depth has been a huge part of the Lakers’ success this year and it could be the factor that makes or breaks their upcoming postseason run. Tonight, the Lakers flexed their depth chart tonight thanks to a free-flowing offense that was operating with smooth efficiency.
Five Lakers players scored in double figures, including Luka Doncic, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James (who left early after tweaking his groin), Austin Reaves, and Dorian Finney-Smith. Between the shooting and finishing ability around the rim, the shorthanded Rockets were completely overwhelmed.
In total, the Lakers had 28 assists in this game with scoring contributions from all across the roster. By the looks of it, JJ Redick has his team locked in right now and they are rallying together to prioritize unselfish, team-oriented basketball.
All in all, the Lakers are in a pretty god spot heading into the 2024 NBA playoffs. While health and durability remain a major concern for them, they have enough depth to adjust for most scenarios but it’s going to be their team chemistry that really makes the difference. If Doncic can continue to adjust on the fly to his new teammates, they’ll be in a good position to make a run when the stakes are highest.
