Latest news and updates about the Lakers
The series between the Lakers and Rockets shifts back to LA for Game 5 on Wednesday. The Lakers will once again look to eliminate Houston from the playoffs. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets When: 7 p.m. PT, Apr. 29 Where: Crypto.com Arena Watch: ESPN The Lakers suffered their first postseason loss […]
With both teams suffering a slew of injuries to key players, this Lakers-Rockets series hasn’t exactly been beautiful basketball. All of the games have featured offensive struggles and the winning team having to grit and grind their way to victory. The Lakers have been the better team under these conditions and won the first three […]
If Lakers fans have felt anxious and hopeful about Austin Reaves returning, they can rest assured that he is right there with them. Reaves has been out with a Grade 2 oblique strain since Apr. 2, and it was considered unlikely that he would play in the opening round of the playoffs. However, the Rockets […]
It’s been another less-than-ideal postseason for the Houston Rockets. They headed into their first round series against the Los Angeles Lakers with a heavy amount of optimism, especially with the Lakers missing two of their best players in Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. The Rockets, however, responded by laying an egg in the first three […]
After a remarkably bad showing from the officials in Sunday’s Game 4, punishments have been handed out… ….to the Lakers. Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard were handed fines of $35,000 and $25,000, respectively, for separate issues involving the officials. Smart’s fine came for “questioning the integrity of game officials,” while Kennard’s was “for directing inappropriate […]
In the week leading up to their series against the Rockets, the Lakers repeatedly emphasized the importance of taking care of the ball. Despite being up 3-1 in the series, there have been very few moments where it’s felt like the Lakers have taken that message to heart. With 80 turnovers in the four contests, […]
At Sunday morning’s team shootaround ahead of Game 4, with the Rockets down 0-3 in the best-of-seven series and with an elimination game looming on their home floor, Alperen Sengun delivered a message to his team about belief and encouragement. The fifth-year Turkish big man — who often needed a translator during his first two […] The post Inspired by Alperen Sengun, Rockets stay alive versus Lakers appeared first on ClutchFans .
On a night where there were some ridiculous refereeing decisions, perhaps the most inexplicable in Game 4 between the Lakers and Rockets came at the end of the game. Late in garbage time, Adou Thiero and Aaron Holiday had a minor scuffle that should have resulted in nothing notable. Instead, James Williams instantly ejected both […]
On the brink of advancing to the second round and pulling out a sweep for the first time since 2010, the Lakers fell to the Rockets in Game 4. With Kevin Durant out once again, it set the stage for a young and athletic Houston squad to play with a sense of urgency and desperation. […]
The handling of the Micah Parsons trade by the Dallas Cowboys has taken fans on a wild ride. Public perception was incredibly low at the beginning, but it may be on the rebound as the assets have turned into real players. There is no exact, scientific live poll to measure public opinion at each of these precise […]
I was watching Game Three of the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets series. My wife — who’s usually more interested in the National Anthem and the arena timeout entertainment — watched two possessions and said, “Do these guys understand this isn’t football?” In other words, someone who pays more attention to what Britt Waters […]
Ejections for Flagrant 2 fouls typically are pretty egregious and easy to understand. By definition, they involve excessive force, which rarely leaves doubt about an ejection. And yet, when Deandre Ayton was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Alperen Şengün during the third quarter of Game 4, which the Lakers were already losing handily […]
The Rockets stayed alive in their series against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight with a resounding win in a game the Rockets absolutely had to have, and the Lakers absolutely did not. Sure, the Lakers would no doubt have chosen to finish the Rockets off in four, after the Rockets unlikely, and painful, late collapse […]
There was lots to dislike about the Lakers’ performance in Game 4. The offense looked stuck in mud. There was an alarming amount of turnovers and nearly all of them were live ball, which ruined any chance of a win. That will be discussed in the coming days on this site. But I’d like to […]
You can’t fake desperation. The Rockets fought hard in Game 3, but lost and were down 3-0 entering Game 4. With their season on the line, Houston decided they’d rather head back to LA instead of clearing out their lockers as they demolished the Lakers, 115-96. The Rockets got offensive contributions from their top players […]
On the heels of a grueling Game 3 win, the Lakers came out flat and were subsequently routed by the Rockets, 115-96. From the jump, it was pretty clear the Lakers didn’t have the right level of effort and played as such throughout. LA turned the ball over a staggering 23 times with the Rockets […]
April 26, 2026 Location: Toyota Center – Houston, Texas TV:NBC/Peacock Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español) Online: Prime Video Time: 8:30 PM CST Probable Starting Lineups Rockets: Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun Lakers: Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Jake Laravia, Lebron James, Deandre Ayton Austin Reaves is […]
This Lakers-Rockets series hasn’t featured pretty basketball. The Lakers have played without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, and the Rockets have had two games without Kevin Durant. With so many key stars out, scoring has been ugly and each contest has been a grind. In that muck, the Lakers have been the better team. They’ve […]
Kevin Durant may have played his last game against the Lakers these playoffs. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Kevin Durant will not play in Game 4 with a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, an injury that will sideline him for weeks. Shams went on to report that Durant was at the team’s facility […]
The Lakers aim to close out their first round series against the Houston Rockets on Sunday The purple and gold are looking to sweep an opponent in the playoffs for the first time since May 2010. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets When: 6:30 p.m. PT, Apr. 26 Where: Toyota Center Watch: […]
Originally, I figured that the most 2026 Houston Rockets thing that could happen is what happened in Game 3: take a sizable lead into the final moments and blow the game, culminating in an overtime loss. The poor play in clutch situations has defined this team, and their 20+ blown fourth quarter leads this year […]
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun just wrapped up his second consecutive All-Star campaign, with averages of 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 51.9 percent from the field, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest. Sengun also racked up 34 double-doubles, which tied Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic for ninth-most in the NBA. Sengun and […]
Following a pair of losses in Los Angeles that served as a microcosm of Houston’s offensive inconsistency, the Rockets returned home with a chance to protect home court and make their first-round series interesting. Despite the lackluster offensive performances, coming home to play LeBron James and the Lakers seemed like a clean slate. It felt like […] The post Rockets collapse late (again) as Lakers take 3-0 series lead appeared first on ClutchFans .
The Lakers’ win over the Rockets in Game 3 on Friday put them in such a commanding position that thoughts of future series could really start creeping into minds. Not only has no team come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA history, but the way the Lakers beat the Rockets sure made it feel […]
To call Friday’s Game 3 win for the Lakers over the Rockets improbable would be quite the understatement. Down six without the ball and just 30 seconds left, LA somehow forced overtime before coming away with a win that puts them firmly in the driver’s seat in the series. It’s a win that required a […]