Lakers-Rockets playoff series is a ‘dog fight’  

Los Angeles, CA – A lot of people are probably writing the Houston Rockets off after they lost for the second time in the first round of a best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.   

Those critics just might not be wrong to do so. After all, Houston followed up their blowout defeat in Game 1 with an anemic shooting performance in Game 2. With Kevin Durant back in the lineup, the Rockets made just 40 percent of their shots, including going 7 of 29 from three-point range. 

Turning the ball over like it was water (15 turnovers) didn’t exactly help their cause in a 101-94 loss to the Lakers. 

“We just not making shots to be honest,” said Durant, who finished the game with 23 points, going 7 of 12 from the floor. “We not shooting a ball well, we getting good looks. We missed a lot of layups. Yeah, I just think that’s the difference in the game. They making shots.” 

With the Rockets struggling to put the ball in the basket and being flippant with the ball, for the second game in a row, the Lakers benefitted from an unlikely source to score points. Marcus Smart dropped 25 points on the Rockets. Luke Kennard followed up his 27-point onslaught in Game 1 with a solid 23 points. 

LeBron James led the way for the Lakers, scoring a game-high 28 points. Lakers head coach JJ Redick liked the energy his ballclub came up with in second game.  

“We saw it happen over the last couple days, with road teams winning game two,”: Redick said. “I think there’s a natural flow to the series where the team that loses can relax a little bit, or the team that wins can relax a little bit. The team that loses comes out and plays with more desperation. I thought our guys at least matched their sense of desperation.” 

Despite going up 0-2 in the series, James does not want the Lakers to take their foot off the pedal. While the Lakers held serve at home by getting timely shooting from various contributors and playing tough defense, James is expecting the Rockets to bring their hard hats for the rest of the series.

“It’s a dog fight,” James said after the game. “Obviously, it’s gonna be a dog fight every game versus these guys with a lot of physicality, a lot of athleticism, well-coached teams. We were locked into our game plan, and we were able to make it happen.” 

The first sequence in Game 2 of the first round playoff series between the Lakers and Rockets could be a precursor as what should be expected in other games. 

The Lakers came into Game 2 already having secured a victory in the first game of the series, thanks in part to the absence of Durant from Houston’s lineup, and also in part to Kennard’s big game. 

Kennard’s hot hand in Game 1 lead the Lakers to a surprising 107-98 win against the Rockets. Mind you, the Lakers are playing this round of the postseason without the services of either Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. 

Game 1 notwithstanding, the beginning of Game 2 appeared to really reflect what this series is about or figure to be about. Lots of dramatics. Plenty of physicality, and spectacular play. 

Well, that first interaction between Kennard and Houston Rockets Durant in Game 2 was an indication of how hotly contested this game would become. 

With Reaves and Doncic out of the lineup because the two starters are healing from their respective injuries, Kennard decided to go off on the Rockets, erupting for a game-high 27 points to lead the Lakers to a surprising 107-98 win in Game 1. 

Kennard made 9 of 13 shots from the field, including connecting on all five of his three-point shots. Yeah, that was a pretty good outing for Kennard, who normally comes off the bench to bring his scoring magic to the Lakers. There’s one caveat to that scenario. 

Kennard didn’t have to worry about shooting over the long and outstretched arms of Durant, who also sat out Game 1 due to an  injury. You kind of sensed that things would be a bit different for Kennard on the first possession of the game by the Lakers. 

Sure, the Lakers came victorious in the first two games of the series, but what that particular Kennard-Durant exchange reflected is that this series is going to be hard-fought between the Western Conference’s No. 4 and No. 5 teams. 

Kennard went up to shoot a mid-range jump shot, the same kind of field attempts he made with ease in Game 1. Kennard may have forgotten that Durant’s extended wingspan can cover a whole lot of ground, because the Rockets’ star came flying out of nowhere to contest the jumper.

Durant did more than that, denying Kennard the opportunity for his jump shot to take flight with a power rebuke of a blocked shot. Kennard’s expression was of wondrous amazement.   

That’s exactly the look that Lakers center Deandre Ayton had after he was knocked down to the floor on the opening interaction between the two teams at the start of the third quarter. 

If there is a similar takeaway from the start of the game and the beginning of the third period it is that this figures to be a tough, grind-it-out, physical series. If you have a faint heart, don’t play playoff basketball. This is no place for the weak and weary. Only the strong survive.  

It also serves as a reminder that postseason basketball is just that. Every shot is contested. Every loose ball is going to be chased down. For the Rocket to make this a series, making shots might be a good start.

“Too many points left off the board,” Houston head coach Ime Udoka said. “Either point-blank layups or wide-open kick out threes, they just not shooting them well enough.”