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“You have to kill them.”
This was JJ Redick’s response when asked about the challenges of closing out a team in a playoff series. His team experienced it firsthand when the Houston Rockets staved off elimination in Game 4. Then, with a chance to deliver the death blow in front of their home crowd, the Lakers once again failed to get the job done, losing 99-93 in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
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Houston is very much still alive.
What once seemed inevitable has suddenly become murky. The Rockets have found things that work. Shots are starting to go in, lineups are starting to click, and most importantly, they believe again. And that is what makes them dangerous.
Fortunately, the Lakers still have two more chances to move on. But if their performances in the last two games are any indication, they’re going to have to not only match the Rockets’ desperation but exceed it to advance to the second round and avoid being the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 lead.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the deflating loss.
Offense stuck in the mud
Before the series, many people fairly questioned how the Lakers would consistently generate points without their two leading scorers. They ended up doing so on the back of LeBron James and by getting surprising levels of production from Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard in the first three games.
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However, with Smart and Kennard both falling back to earth, so has the Lakers’ offense. The team averaged 106.6 points per contest against the Rockets in the first three games. That has plummeted in the last two as the Lakers have only put up a measly 94.5.
There are a myriad of reasons why this occurred. For one, the Rockets deserve credit. They have upped their intensity, leveraged their athletic advantages and found strategies that are yielding better results.
As a result, it is time for the Lakers to adjust and also clean up what they can control.
Turnovers continue to be an issue, demonstrated by their 15 turnovers compared to just 19 assists in Game 5. They’ve also gone cold from the perimeter after scorching the nets earlier in the series. Of their last…
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Publish date : 2026-04-30 06:59:00
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