LeBron James led the charge with 29 points, including a crucial 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, as the Los Angeles Lakers edged the Houston Rockets 112-108 on Friday night to take a 3-0 lead in their Western Conference first-round series. The Lakers' comeback was fueled by a six-point deficit with under 30 seconds remaining, setting the stage for a potential series sweep on Sunday. Coach JJ Redick praised the team's resilience, saying, 'It's tough to win on the road in the playoffs, and even without KD, they're a great basketball team.' James played over 45 minutes, stepping up in the absence of top scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
He emphasized the need for collective effort, stating, 'Everyone has to do a little bit more because of how much we're missing.' The Lakers' victory was marked by key contributions from Smart, who added 21 points and 10 assists, and Rui Hachimura, who scored 22 points. Despite being without Kevin Durant due to an ankle sprain, the Rockets remained competitive, with Alperen Sengun leading the team with 33 points and 16 rebounds. However, Houston's struggles to close out games in the fourth quarter continued, with coach Ime Udoka acknowledging, 'It's obviously a weakness of ours to close out and finish.' The Lakers will look to capitalize on this momentum as they aim to sweep the series on Sunday.