![]() ![]() Davis seemed hindered by stiffness at various points throughout the game. Without veteran center Dwight Howard (neck stiffness) for a second straight game, the Lakers’ protection at the rim was hobbled to begin with. These 3 stats from Lakers’ triple-OT loss to Sacramento highlight major issues Lakers, Pistons pour cold water on LeBron James-Isaiah Stewart rematch Lakers reset: In a mediocre season, Frank Vogel is feeling the heat Lakers’ Trevor Ariza progressing through rehab, hopes to join lineup soon The Rockets scored 40 points in the paint in the first half alone, pushing the Lakers’ defense well into the rim for close finishes. 2 overall draft pick this summer, seized upon the lackadaisical energy to go 7 for 9 from the field before halftime. After holding the Rockets to just 85 points on Sunday, they allowed 70 points in the first half through all manner of defensive sins: hands not in the air, getting caught out of position, failing to stick to shooters, getting screened out of plays. ![]() ![]() Perhaps the most damning aspect of the game was that the Lakers needed the heroics at all. “If those guys are going, then you’re feeding whoever has it going, whoever has a better rhythm, we just kind of play off whoever that may be.” and Bron on the floor, you don’t have to do everything,” Westbrook said. “That’s the beauty of our team, and to be able to have A.D. It was all the more needed with the Lakers’ role players coming up short: Aside from 15 points from Carmelo Anthony, the rest of the non-Big Three contributed just 20 points. For the first time in their eight games together, James, Westbrook and Davis each scored at least 20 points, finding an elusive scoring balance. James’ feisty fourth quarter was the capper to an excellent offensive night for the Big Three. The Lakers later added that it was fortunate the stolen possession didn’t cost them the game. James pulled up from 18 feet to put two more points back on the board, and the Lakers’ defense forced a key shot clock violation with 1:03 left. “Once that goes away, you just take the points away and don’t give us the possession back – you can’t correct that at that point,” Coach Frank Vogel said. Had the referees correctly counted the fouls, the Lakers would have at least retained the ball for an inbounds play. The Lakers were incensed: The net effect was that they lost a possession for getting fouled. An official review later took those two points off the board, putting the Lakers ahead by just three points with 1:35 left. The Lakers had an even closer finish due to an unusual officiating mistake: Referees miscounted Houston’s four fouls as five and awarded the Lakers a pair of free throws for Kent Bazemore with 2:31 remaining. And I was able to bring us a few buckets at the time.” “And at that point in time, it calls for me to score. “It was just about the moment – just about the moment and trying to make the best plays to help our team win,” James said. In less than two minutes, James had flipped a three-point deficit into a four-point lead with about 7:30 remaining. A layup from a few feet out outside of the backboard. There were roughly 2,500 more fans packing a sellout crowd than there were on Sunday, and the full-throated force of that increase was clear as James went on his fourth-quarter tear – a one-man 10-point run.Ī dunk off a Westbrook lob. But the Lakers successfully defended on two inbounds plays to hold on for the win. Jalen Green made the hosts sweat: The rookie made a 3-pointer with eight seconds left to pull Houston within one point, and hope was still alive for the Rockets after the Lakers’ Malik Monk converted just one of two free throws moments later. It was the inverse of a game against these same Rockets two nights earlier: After a 95-85 defensive struggle on Sunday, neither team seemed in the mood to stop the other in the rematch. LeBron-led Lakers survive scare from Rockets – Orange County Register ![]()
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