Lakers vs – LeBron James tied the game with a three in regulation and the Lakers won 112-108 in overtime, taking a commanding 3-0 lead despite Kevin Durant’s absence for Houston.
HOUSTON — LeBron James’ late three did more than send the game to overtime; it flipped the momentum when the Lakers needed it most, and Los Angeles ultimately escaped 112-108 to seize a 3-0 lead over the Rockets.
James finished with 29 points, and his clutch sequence defined the night.. With 13 seconds left in regulation. he drilled a tying three to square things at 101-all after Houston had seized control late.. Then. even when the game went long and the margins tightened. the Lakers stayed composed enough to turn key possessions—especially from the foul line—into a decisive edge.
The setting matters.. The Rockets entered with Kevin Durant already ruled out again. this time with a sprained ankle. meaning Houston was once more without a scoring element that can change series math.. That absence didn’t erase Houston’s competitiveness—Houston still led by six with under a minute left in the earlier stages of the turnaround—but it raised the bar for players like Alperen Sengun and the rest of the rotation to consistently withstand late pressure.
Houston, led by Sengun’s 33 points and 16 rebounds, made sure the Lakers didn’t get a comfortable ending.. Sengun also had a chance at the conclusion of regulation to swing the result after James’ takeover moments. but his attempt from close range missed.. The Rockets got another life in overtime. tightening the margin with their own scoring burst. yet the Lakers repeatedly answered at the exact spots where series-level confidence is built.
Marcus Smart played a central supporting role that often determines whether James’ big shots lead to a win or a frustrating loss.. Smart scored eight points in overtime, including the go-ahead momentum in the first moments of extra time.. After the Lakers opened OT with a 6-2 run, Smart hit a three to make it 107-103.. He followed with two free throws when Houston’s response threatened to bring the Rockets within striking distance again.
Smart’s discipline from the line kept the Lakers from unraveling.. At 109-105 with 52 seconds remaining, he made it a longer climb.. Later. after Houston threatened to compress the game further. Smart sank his free throws again. and when the Rockets cut the deficit with Reed Sheppard’s 3-pointer. Smart converted one of two to restore a two-possession buffer.
Rui Hachimura added 22 points for Los Angeles, but the broader story was how the Lakers handled the late-game swings.. Los Angeles trailed six in the fourth after being up early by as many as 15.. In that stretch. Houston forced mistakes and cashed in—turnovers by James produced a 101-95 Houston lead—before the Lakers responded with their most repeatable playoff skill: executing after pressure.
The final picture also carried a subtle, series-level message.. James had the moment at the buzzer in regulation—his attempt to win it with a three at the end of the clock bounced off the rim—then stayed locked in through overtime.. The Lakers didn’t just survive Houston’s best individual performances; they turned Houston’s late chances into opportunities for themselves. particularly through Smart’s free-throw shooting and timely decision-making.
From a matchup perspective. the Lakers now look set up to control the tempo of this series unless Houston can tighten its closing execution.. Sengun’s production is the kind that makes teams resilient. but star scoring alone doesn’t always translate into late-game control when the opponent converts pressure into points.. For Houston. the question becomes whether the Rockets can create more consistent late-game offense without Durant. and whether they can prevent Los Angeles from repeatedly arriving at the free-throw line when the game is hanging by a few possessions.