Plaschke: Danger ahead! Lakers loss to the Rockets pushes them closer to the worst kind of history

There have been 159 times an NBA team has led a series three games to none.

There have been 159 times that team has won the series.

Marvel in that statistic. Appreciate its power. Wax in its endurance. Embrace its existence.

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Because the Lakers are two losses from blowing it to bits.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves tries to control the ball under pressure from Rockets guard Amen Thompson during Game 5 of their NBA playoff series Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

This is not really happening, is it? The Lakers aren’t really on the verge of messing up a three-games-to-none lead to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, are they?

It’s happening. With a glare and a snarl and youthful athleticism, the wrong side of history beckons.

Like Reed Sheppard wrestling the ball out of LeBron James’ hands in the final minutes, the Rockets are in the process of stealing this.

Like three-point misses from James and Austin Reaves in the final minute, the Lakers are on the verge of bricking this.

Read more: Lakers can’t close out Rockets series when Austin Reaves returns

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With a 99-93 loss in Game 5 of the first round at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night, the Lakers have seen a historically insurmountable lead shrink to three-games-to-two while turning some recent words from the Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. into temporary reality.

““We’re obviously the better team,” Smith Jr. told reporters earlier this week. “I just feel like from top to bottom…we’re the better team.”

Even without injured star Kevin Durant, who hasn’t played in either of their two wins?

Even with — and this really hurts — the Wednesday return of Reaves?

Right now, the answer is a resounding yes.

To which James, when told of Smith’s statements, just shook his head.

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“I don’t care about …that, bro,” he told reporters after the loss. “The game is won in between the four lines. I don’t give a damn. Who cares? Of course you say it. What would you say, ‘Oh, we’re not the better team.’ I don’t….Ask one of them young guys that question. I’m too old…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/plaschke-danger-ahead-lakers-loss-100000899.html

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Publish date : 2026-04-30 10:00:00

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