NBA drama unfolds in Lakers-Rockets series  

Los Angeles, CA (News4usonline) – The Los Angeles Lakers don’t want to mess around and find out what will happen if their first-round, NBA Western Conference playoff series goes to a Game 7. Right now, the Lakers are staring danger right square in the face.

After winning their first three games of their first-round, NBA Western Conference playoff series against the Houston Rockets, the Lakers have lost two in a row and are quite possibly looking at an uh-oh moment if they somehow manage to lose Game 6. 

The Lakers have arrived at this point in the series because of their own undoing. Turning the ball over would be the biggest culprit for the Lakers in the last two games. In a 115-96 defeat in Game 4, the Lakers coughed up the basketball 24 times. 

They did better in Game 5, but still committed 15 turnovers in a 99-93 Game 5 loss in front of a sold-out and disappointed Crypto.com Arena crowd. Instead of bringing the series to a close, the Lakers extended it by being sloppy with the ball and missing a ton of shots. 

The Lakers lost Game 5, in essence, in the second quarter. That’s when the Rockets outscored them 30-19 and never looked back. A late rally by the Lakers in the fourth quarter came too little, too late and fell short. 

“Again, another period in the second quarter where we just turned the ball over,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said after the game. “Certainly, had some long stretches where we didn’t have successive turnovers, but that was part of it. Little bit of game plan and KYP, the stakes defensively for us in that second quarter. You gotta give them a lot of credit.” 

Against a Kevin Durant-less Houston team, the Lakers were hoping to finish off the Rockets, especially with guard Austin Reaves returning from an injury that had kept out of the lineup for the first four games of the series.  

Reaves didn’t disappoint in making his 2026 postseason debut, scoring 22 points. 

“He’s a such a dynamic player,” Lakers forward LeBron James said about his teammate’s return from injury. “His ability to get into the paint, his ability to get to the free throw line. Obviously, it’s his first game in a month so a few of his jump shots were short, that makes sense. He hasn’t played in a month, but it just gives us another ball handler, another attack threat, at that point of attack. So, it’s great for our team.” 

It was an encouraging return for Reaves. However, Reaves return wasn’t all peaches and cream. It took Reaves 22 shots from the field to earn those 22 points. Reaves misfired on 18 of the 22 shot attempts he tried. 

The Lakers wound up losing to the Rockets for the second straight time, dropping Game 5, 99-93, in front of a sold-out  and disappointed Crypto.com Arena crowd in downtown Los Angeles. 

Reaves was not the only Laker to have an off-shooting night. 

Luke Kennard, who was the team’s offensive sparkplug in Game 1 (27 points) and Game 2 (23 points), went completely MIA in Game 5, scoring a grand total of one point in just over 31 minutes of playing time. Kennard hit a blank screen for the game, missing on all four of his field goal attempts. 

As a team, the Lakers shot 42 percent from the field. Los Angeles was even worse from three-point range, connecting on just 26 percent of their shots (7 of 27) from beyond the arc.  

“It helps when shots go in,” Reaves said. “I know Bron (LeBron James) had probably three or four in the first half that went in and out, missed two easy layups, two or three good looks from three, one little mid-range. But he made shots, missed shots.” 

The Lakers having a rough night at the office in Game 5 was not a coincidence. The play of Houston’s tightening defense has had a lot to say about the outcomes of the last two games. The Rockets have played tough and physical ball against the Lakers.  

“We had control of the game,” Houston head coach Ime Udoka said. “Passing out of the flood, we had some turnovers there, but overall controlling the game and just a lot of really good competition from everybody.” 

Jabari Smith Jr., who scored 22 points for the Rockets, put the way Houston played in Game 5 into proper perspective. The postseason mantra is simple: win or go home.

“I mean, if you can’t get yourself motivated for the game where if you lose the season is over with, then this league probably not for you,” Smith remarked. “You know what I’m saying? So, the focus is just there.” 

“Like night before the game, you can’t sleep, nothing before the game. You [are] just thinking about the game and what to do in that moment, what to do, the game plan, what to do to come out with a win,” Smith added.