In the initial three games of the NBA playoff series featuring the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers, a rookie in the Lakers’ lineup faced the intense atmosphere of postseason play head-on.
With Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves sidelined, the Lakers were in urgent need of a second scoring threat alongside LeBron James.
During Game 1, Luke Kennard rose to the occasion, contributing 27 points with an impressive shooting performance. Game 2 saw Marcus Smart take over with 25 points of his own.
Fast forward to Friday night in Houston, and that crucial player was Rui Hachimura.
Not only did he score 22 points while nailing four 3-pointers, but he also logged 43 minutes on the court. That amount of playing time indicates just how much Lakers head coach JJ Redick trusts him. In a challenging environment like Houston, a strong start was essential to quiet the crowd.
Hachimura challenged himself effectively, leading all scorers with 16 points on a perfect shooting streak in the first quarter—an impressive feat for him.
“It was a matchup. Reed Shepard protected me,” Hachimura reflected. “Everything was just like we practiced.”
His readiness and the opportunity aligned perfectly.
As the game proceeded, the Rockets adapted, closing down on easy opportunities, which once again placed the scoring burden on James.
But Hachimura remained poised, patiently awaiting his moment.
In overtime, he executed a series of decisive plays that ultimately secured the game for the Lakers.
With the score at 105-103, James missed a difficult three-point attempt. Hachimura snagged the rebound mid-air, managed to stay in play, and delivered the ball to Kennard, who then assisted Hachimura again. This time, he faked a 3-pointer and drove in for a layup, extending the Lakers’ lead to four points, a margin they maintained moving forward.
His stellar performance didn’t go unnoticed; it caused management to reconsider their earlier assessments of him.
The 6-foot-8 forward from Japan was on an expiring contract and was initially viewed as expendable before the February trade deadline. However, the Lakers opted to keep him, and now that choice seems incredibly wise.
Hachimura and his teammates, typically categorized as role players, are currently playing beyond those limitations.
In Game 3, Smart made history by becoming the first player since Michael Jordan in 1991 to achieve 21 points, 10 assists, five steals, and two blocks in a postseason game. Quite an impressive company!
At present, the Lakers are enjoying a strong 3-0 lead, just a win away from advancing further.
The Rockets, on the other hand, find themselves in a state of disarray, with glaring mistakes hampering their performance, especially during pivotal moments when they had a six-point lead and only 25 seconds remaining.
“That was a terrible mistake,” Houston head coach Ime Udoka commented. “Not sure if it’s youth or just a moment of fear.”
So, the lingering question is: Which Lakers role player will step up in Game 4?
Will it be Deandre Ayton or Jackson Hayes? Maybe Reeves will return to fill that gap.
The Lakers have multiple avenues available to wrap up the series, aiming to demonstrate that they don’t solely rely on any one star player to keep their season alive.
They continue to create new heroes with each game.
