Rockets Defeat Lakers in Game 4

HOUSTON — One team approached the game with a sense of urgency.

That team was the Rockets, who faced the Lakers in Game 4 of their playoff series at Toyota Center on Sunday. After losing the first game in the series, the Lakers found themselves on the defensive.

With Kevin Durant absent, the Rockets played aggressively, clinching a 115-96 victory over the Lakers. The Lakers, on the other hand, struggled to maintain a steady offensive flow throughout the game.

While they shot 50 percent from the field (37-of-74), their three-point shooting was dismal at 5-for-22.

This marked the lowest number of three-pointers made in a playoff game since 2013, when they only made four in another series against the Spurs.

Only Deandre Ayton (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Rui Hachimura (13 points) showed any consistency for the Lakers in this match. Ayton was ejected in the third quarter after a flagrant two foul against Rockets All-Star center Alperen Sengun.

Ayton and Hachimura combined to make 15 of their 22 field goal attempts.

LeBron James contributed 10 points, nine assists, and four rebounds on just 2-of-9 shooting but had a rough outing overall with a team-high eight turnovers.

Marcus Smart also struggled, accounting for four of those turnovers and finishing with 9 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.

What It Means

The series now shifts back to Los Angeles for Game 5, with the Lakers still maintaining a 3-1 lead.

Turning Point

The game took a turn when the Lakers committed three turnovers during four possessions early in the first quarter. Though they had a slight lead at that time, the Rockets ramped up their defensive effort, changing the dynamics for the rest of the match.

MVP: Armen Thompson

Thompson emerged as the standout player for the Rockets, leading the team with 23 points and seven assists. All five Rocket starters finished with double-digit points.

Tari Eason added 20 points, eight rebounds, and five steals, while Sengun contributed 19 points and six rebounds.

Game Status

This matchup saw the highest number of turnovers for the Lakers in a playoff game since September 2020, when they also committed 24 turnovers against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

The Rockets capitalized on the Lakers’ mistakes, scoring 30 points off of those turnovers.

Looking Ahead

Game 5 of the playoff series between the Lakers and Rockets is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena.