NBA Playoffs: Rockets Force Game 6 with 99-93 Victory Over Lakers, Avoiding Playoff Elimination

The Houston Rockets refused to surrender, delivering a gritty 99-93 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 on Wednesday night. This crucial win marks the second consecutive game where Houston has avoided playoff elimination, trimming the Lakers’ commanding series lead to 3-2 and forcing a return to Houston for Game 6 on Friday night.

Jabari Smith Jr. led the charge with 22 points, while Tari Eason contributed 18 points in what proved to be Houston’s most complete performance of the series. Alperen Sengun nearly recorded a triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, orchestrating the Rockets’ balanced offensive attack.

Historic comeback attempt continues

The fifth-seeded Rockets are now halfway toward achieving the impossible. No team has ever recovered from an 0-3 deficit to win an NBA playoff series, and only four of the 159 teams to start a series down 0-3 have ever even forced a Game 7. Houston’s resilience becomes even more remarkable considering they’ve accomplished this feat without top scorer Kevin Durant, who has missed four of the series’ five games with injuries.

For the Lakers, this represents uncharted territory for LeBron James, whose teams have never blown a 2-0 series lead in his entire 23-year NBA career. James scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half and added seven assists, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Los Angeles from suffering their second consecutive loss.

Austin Reaves provided a significant boost in his return from a nine-game injury absence, contributing 22 points and six assists. Strained oblique muscles had sidelined Reaves since April 2, but he immediately impacted the game with 11 points and six assists in the first half. Deandre Ayton dominated the paint with 18 points and 17 rebounds, though the Lakers remain without Luka Doncic, who doesn’t appear close to returning from a strained hamstring.

Rockets maintain composure in crucial moments

Houston controlled the game’s tempo, building an 87-74 advantage with 5:55 remaining. The Lakers mounted a desperate 11-1 run, cutting the deficit to 88-85 on a driving layup by James, but the Rockets responded with championship-level composure. Reed Sheppard hit a crucial jumper before ripping the ball away from James for a momentum-shifting dunk with 2:20 to play.

The Lakers committed 15 mostly atrocious turnovers in their worst performance of the series and only their second loss in 16 home games since February. Despite late 3-point attempts from James and Reaves, Houston maintained their advantage to secure the victory.

Smith exemplified the Rockets’ newfound confidence, having claimed Tuesday that Houston was « obviously the better team » despite their 3-1 series deficit. The Rockets’ resilience also benefits the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who await the series winner after sweeping Phoenix.