Houston Rockets favored to force Game 7 as Lakers struggle to close out playoff series

If it feels similar the archetypal circular of the NBA playoffs is taking longer than normal, that’s astir apt due to the fact that it is. You should beryllium blessed astir that! If you don’t emotion basketball, past you astir apt are marginally funny successful this nonfiction oregon the playoffs anyway, but that’s a antithetic conversation.

More hoops are ever amended to me, and I’m blessed these person been competitory and entertaining series.

Houston Rockets halfway Alperen Sengun drives to the handbasket connected Los Angeles Lakers C Deandre Ayton successful Game 1 of the archetypal circular of the 2026 NBA Playoffs astatine Crypto.com Arena. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers spell into Houston contiguous to conflict and effort to adjacent retired their series. I’m going to commencement with the bad… If the Lakers lose, that means this goes to a Game 7. Anything tin hap successful those situations. If the Lakers suffer that game, that means that they volition beryllium the archetypal NBA squad to stroke a 3-0 lead.

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Not precisely the bequest oregon exit you would privation if you are LeBron James (who astir apt isn’t retiring anyway).

In Game 5, connected their location court, the Lakers raced retired to a large lead, but they benignant of fell flat. They did get a boost successful Austin Reaves coming back, but helium was inefficient and looked similar helium hadn’t played competitory hoops successful a month. Maybe successful this 2nd crippled back, helium volition beryllium fine.

The occupation is that extracurricular of Reaves and James, determination is precise small to beryllium encouraged by from the Lakers. The squad is not arsenic bully arsenic Houston connected defense, and they are decidedly the older team. That was important successful their triumph successful Game 3 arsenic the acquisition allowed them to flooded a six-point shortage to propulsion the crippled into overtime and instrumentality a win.

Houston Rockets halfway Alperen Sengun dunks the shot connected the Los Angeles Lakers successful Game 1 of the archetypal circular of the 2026 NBA Playoffs astatine Crypto.com Arena. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

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However, the younker of the Houston Rockets mightiness besides beryllium a blessing. These games person lone 1 disconnected time betwixt them. That leads to bushed legs for some players, but the Rockets person an mean property of 27.8, 11th successful the league. The mean property by minutes is lower, though.

That is inverted for the Lakers, with a little wide age, but is higher successful property per minutes. This is important accusation arsenic the halfway of the Lakers, particularly arsenic Reaves and Luka Doncic were/are out, the squad had to trust much connected veterans.

The Rockets are without Kevin Durant, the 1 scorer they needed past play to marque a bully tally successful the postseason. However, their squad seems to person recovered immoderate individuality implicit the past fewer games. They are present playing with location money. If they lose, the communicative volition beryllium that it is due to the fact that Durant was injured. If they tin triumph the series, it is due to the fact that they don’t person the aforesaid unit they did astatine the commencement of the series, and it is due to the fact that the younker stepped up.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the shot against the Memphis Grizzlies successful the 2nd fractional astatine Crypto.com Arena successful Los Angeles, Calif., connected Jan. 4, 2026. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Just watching the past 3 games, the Rockets person been the amended team. I would adjacent beryllium consenting to marque an statement that they were the amended squad successful Game 2, but that’s much of a question. An epic illness successful Game 3 enactment them connected the backmost foot. It would surely assistance to person Durant astir to marque things easier, but helium has been ruled out.

I truly similar Houston successful this game. At this point, the unit is connected the Lakers to adjacent it out. Aside from James, determination aren’t galore areas that I deliberation they person an vantage implicit Houston. Reaves could travel retired and look considerably amended successful this game, and that would marque a difference, but the Rockets are leaning connected astute shots and defense. They volition triumph and screen this one.

For much sports betting accusation and plays, travel David connected X/Twitter: @futureprez2024