The LA Lakers were defeated by the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of their playoff series, losing 99-93. The Lakers now lead the series 3-2 after previously leading 3-0.
Austin Reaves returned from an oblique injury and scored 22 points. LeBron James led the Lakers with 25 points and seven assists. However, the Lakers struggled with turnovers, committing 39 in Games 4 and 5 combined.
The Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points while Tari Eason added 18 points. The team has won two consecutive games after falling into a 3-0 hole. No NBA team has ever come back from such a deficit to win a playoff series.
The Lakers shot just 24.5% from three-point range in their last two games. Their shooting struggles contributed to their defeat in Game 5.
Alperen Sengun commented on the team’s performance, saying, “Everybody feels amazing. Nobody is tired and today everybody showed it.” Meanwhile, Austin Reaves acknowledged his team’s shooting woes, stating, “I missed a lot of easy looks, and we didn’t shoot it great as a team.”
Marcus Smart emphasized the need for improvement: “We just got to make shots.” The Lakers will have a third chance to clinch the series on Friday in Houston.
