Category: Sports News

The Rockets are coming home to Houston. Not to start their off season, but to play Game 6 of their first round series with the Lakers. The series is now 3-2 in favor of the Lakers, and of course it’s easy to see a world where they Rockets would be ahead 3-2. They aren’t, of course, but they also have a chance to do what has never been done before, and win a playoff series from down 3 games to 0. That would be a lot of fun to see.

The next step towards both history and improbability was taken tonight in Los Angeles. Austin Reaves, in the running for “Least Ethical Player In The NBA”. was playing again. (Reaves scored more points from the free throw line than the field tonight, and he scored 22.) The Lakers were, of course, without Luka Doncic, and the Rockets without Kevin Durant. I would now rate this series as a fair fight. Despite the Rockets also going without their presumed starting point guard Fred VanVleet, and center Steven Adams. Any Laker complaints about being short handed should cease at this point, as both Rockets wins were accomplished against a Laker team with Austin “Headwhip” Reaves.

On to the game. In short, the win was typical of how the young Rockets of the past two season often won games. They played active, tough, defense. They scored just enough to win. The Rockets turned the Lakers over 15 times tonight, and 10 of those turnovers were steals. They lost the rebounding battle, 41 to 34, mostly due to Deandre Ayton showing that the main stumbling block to greater career success is not his ability. He had 17 rebounds, and the next highest Laker player had 6.

Another notable aspect of the Rockets attack is that they shot 40 3pt shots. If you have a slow, fairly low output offense (and the Rockets offense in the playoffs this season has definitely been both), three pointers can help a lot. They did tonight, as the Rockets made 14-40 for a perfectly reasonable 35%. Jabari Smith had a great night, going 4-9, but no Rocket had an awful night from three, and that’s the big difference. Holiday and Okogie went 1-4, and Sheppard went 2-7, but Dorian Finney-Smith(!) and Amen Thompson(!) went 2-5. DFS has been much more of what the Rockets expected this season in the playoffs. It’s very welcome. A decent percentage on a high volume of threes does as much as as a good percentage on a high volume of twos, most of the time.

Of course, what has made winning possible at all, given the Rockets typically low scoring offense, is their defense. Tonight Los Angeles was held to 93 points. I think it’s somewhat under appreciated how difficult having Kevin Durant in the lineup can make the Rockets preferred style of defense. It’s understandable that given his age, and offensive load, that Durant wouldn’t be a top defender, and it certainly helps that he’s 7’ tall. He also barely moves on defense much of the time, and doesn’t switch. This causes many problems for the defense we just didn’t see tonight. Even with the much maligned Reed Sheppard starting, and playing 35 minutes, the Rockets held LA to 93 points, in a close out game on their home court. The first home closeout game Lebron James has lost since 2017, in fact.

The starting Rockets played most of the game. Amen played 46 minutes. Jabari and Sengun played 42 minutes. Tari Eason played 31 (due mostly to some silly fouls), while Sheppard played 35. Los Angeles was much the same story, with James playing 39 minutes (two under his age), Hachimura 37, Ayton 38, Smart 37, Reaves, on his second game back, 35, and Kennard 31.

I have to believe these numbers work in favor of the Rockets as this series winds on. They are simply much younger than the Lakers overall. In fact this was either the youngest, or second youngest playoff starting lineup in NBA history. In a longer series, with the 41 year old LeBron James being, once again, far and away the Lakers best player, those minutes start to toll in a way they probably won’t on the Rockets.

In some ways in this series, the Rockets have been saved by Kevin Durant’s injury. This is not some slam on Durant. It’s simply this: Ime Udoka is so stubborn about how he uses Durant, the Rockets are incredibly easy to defend. A team not known for defense, the Lakers, can force Durant into 9 grisly turnovers, in the one game he played. With the Rockets lineup of Sheppard, Thompson, Eason, Smith and Sengun, the Rockets are far harder to defend with the tactics the Lakers used against Durant. The Rockets, despite not showing it in game one, create a defensive burden on individual Laker defenders. LA seems to have a better chance junking the game up and swarming the obvious, and inevitable, KD initiation of offense. The Rockets only had 10 turnovers, of which five were steals. Sengun and Thompson were doubled quickly, and turned over 8 times to their 12 assists, but Sheppard, Smith, Eason, and Holiday combined for 12 assists to 1 turnover, as the pressure was elsewhere.

The Rockets don’t suddenly have a great offense, but they do have a far more balanced one. The proof of this was in the scoring Smith – 22, Eason -18, Sengun 14, Thompson 15, Sheppard – 12. None of that is exactly pinball machine stuff, but it puts weaker defenders like Kennard, Reaves, and (much of the time) James in a difficult position. 99 points probably won’t get it done going forward (even Orlando and Detroit scored 225 collectively) but it might get it done against the Lakers two more times.

The series now shifts back to Houston, and hopefully the Rockets come out with the same fire.

History awaits. (We hope.)

Allow me to contradict myself from something I said earlier in this series, but what an underwhelming crowd that was for a closeout game.

In the opening two games, the Lakers faithful were awesome and had a huge hand in the purple and gold jumping out to an early lead in the series. But on Wednesday, with a chance to close out this series, the fans matched the energy of the team and the result was a game that felt like it was taking place in early January for a large chunk of it.

The easy retort is that the Lakers gave them nothing to return for during most of that stretch. And while you’re not wrong, this is a playoff game! There shouldn’t need to be a reason to cheer on the team.

A disappointing showing from the fans matched a disappointing showing from the team.

Anyway, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

LeBron James

39 minutes, 25 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 9-20 FG, 0-6 3PT, 7-10 FT, -5

LeBron started the game strong in the opening minutes, then faded completely into the background for most of the next three quarters. By the time he turned it back up in the fourth quarter, it was too little too late.

I get he’s 41. I get playing a young Rockets team is exhausting. But this was unacceptable for most of the game.

Grade: C-

Rui Hachimura

37 minutes, 12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 5-11 FG, 2-3 3PT, +5

When Rui has things going, those pull-up mid-range jumpers are things of beauty. When they aren’t, it’s very frustrating to watch. It was very frustrating to watch tonight.

He did hit a timely three, so he gets saved with that.

Grade: C+

Deandre Ayton

38 minutes, 18 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 9-14 FG, +2

Shoutout to the best player on the floor for the Lakers. And really, this is two games going that he’s been the best player on the floor. And he closed Game 3 in a strong way in overtime.

What I’m getting at is Ayton has shown up this series and was the bright spot in a frustrating game.

Grade: A+

Marcus Smart

37 minutes, 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 turnovers, 2 fouls, 3-7 FG, 3-7 3PT, 2-2 FT, -7

Don’t let the stats fool you. This was one of Smart’s worst games of the season. On top of the six assists, the shot selection was really bad. With the Lakers’ offense struggling, he took long threes on multiple occasions. After making it a habit of getting to the rim this series, too, he completely abandoned that on Wednesday.

Across the last two games, he has 10 turnovers, is shooting 6-15 from the field and 3-9 from three. Sure hope we’re due for a good Smart game!

Grade: F

Luke Kennard

31 minutes, 1 point, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 0-4 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-2 FT, -3

The Jeremy Lin run for Kennard is well and truly over. He was pulled from the starting lineup in the second half and rightfully so. Does he have one last bit of magic left?

Grade: F

Austin Reaves

34 minutes, 22 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-16 FG, 2-8 3PT, 12-13 FT, -5

From an efficiency standpoint, this was not a great game from Austin. From an impact standpoint, it was a positive. He immediately brought another offensive threat in the pick and roll and got to the line repeatedly.

It’s not a shock that he didn’t have a rhythm. It is a shame thought because an average shooting night from Reaves likely ends this series.

Grade: B+

Jaxson Hayes

10 minutes, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, -8

We’re back to the point in the playoffs where Hayes is unplayable in the postseason. They hemorrhaged points in his minutes, and he committed multiple fouls on the rim. When he can’t be a lob threat, he offers nothing offensively.

Grade: F

Jake LaRavia

9 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 fouls, 1-1 FG, -1

This actually felt like a good LaRavia game. He had a couple of nice defensive sequences and scored on a nice cut. But he’s still not even considering shooting threes, so I get why he’s not getting many minutes.

Grade: C

Jarred Vanderbilt

It was only one stint from Vando on Wednesday and rightfully so. The Rockets have spent the series daring Vando to hit threes and he’s now 1-8 with the one make coming on his first shot of the series.

If he’s this unplayable, then I think there’s an argument to give Bronny his shift and see if having a bit more spacing could open something up.

JJ Redick

The Lakers came out with a lack of urgency, which typically circles back to the coach and fair enough. But the Lakers also were doing a lot of things on the floor that were out of his Redick’s control. The missed threes and turnovers were definitely not part of his gameplan.

He did start the game doubling Alperen Şengün and daring the likes of Dorian Finney-Smith and Amen Thompson to beat them from three. When they did, he moved off that, but the damage was done. You have to roll the dice on something and the Lakers lost that gamble.

Grade: C

Wednesday’s DNPs: Bronny James, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Nick Smith Jr., Adou Thiero

Wednesday’s inactives: Luka Dončić

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back for a huge Game 5 win and a 3-2 series lead over the Toronto Raptors.

Let’s go over today’s losers.

LOSER – The First Half

I can’t blame anyone for feeling antsy in the first half. To be honest, if you weren’t starting to worry about a full-blown panic attack, then I don’t know how you do it. This first half had disaster written all over it.

The Raptors could not miss in the first two quarters. They had 74 points at halftime on 64% shooting from the floor and 59% shooting from downtown. No one thought that would be sustainable, but it’s more than enough in one half to steal a Game 5 on the road.

How did the Raptors do it?

Scottie Barnes was the driving force. He put immense pressure on the rim with his downhill attacks, while his playmaking provided a counter. Drawing multiple defenders and hitting the open man is easier said than done. Barnes had the Cavalier defense scrambling to keep up.

Adding fuel to the fire, Cleveland again turned it over like crazy. The Raptors eventually scored 28 points off turnovers in this game, with a good chunk of that coming in a frantic first half.

WINNER – Feeding the Bigs

Clearly, something changed in the second half. The Cavs managed to overcome a 12-point deficit and storm back for a double-digit lead of their own before winning in the closing minutes.

Feeding the bigs was the key to all of that.

Dennis Schroder (more on him soon) apparently told the Cavs as much. At halftime, Schroder addressed his team and told them where they’ve been going wrong. His proposal? To return to ‘Cavs basketball’ play prioritizing Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley as focal points of the offense. I guess Schroder reads Fear the Sword, or any Cavs blog, for that matter.

Schroder says he told the team he wants to see 'Cavs basketball' again and to return to the style they played when he first arrived in Cleveland

"Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are the keys to our team… those are two of the top bigs in the league, so we got to use them" https://t.co/F6S31d5JmR

— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) April 30, 2026

The results were immediate. Mobley and Allen re-established the Cavaliers’ efforts in the paint by rolling to the rim and creating easy opportunities. By playing inside-out, the Cavs offense settled into a more sustainable groove — all while energizing the bigs on the other end of the floor.

All of a sudden, Allen and Mobley were rejecting shots and anchoring an elite defense. After coughing up 74 points in the first half, Cleveland only allowed 46 in the second (just 17 points in the fourth). Mobley and Allen’s six combined blocks were a big part of that. Getting them more involved on offense was what sparked it.

Mobley finished with 16 points in the second half, including three clutch triples to secure the win.

WINNER – Dennis Schroder

I had a feeling that Schroder could have a big game in the playoffs. I, however, did not think it would come in such a pivotal moment.

Schroder, for all intents and purposes, saved the Cavs season. This was shaping up to be a crushing Game 5 loss at home. Instead, Schroder more than doubled his total points for the series (he scored 19 points tonight and had only scored 18 points in the previous games combined). More than half of Schroder’s scoring game in the fourth quarter.

Toronto has played an aggressive style of defense at the point of attack. For example, if James Harden has the ball, you can bet a second Raptor is lurking at the nail, cheating off the wing and providing additional help on any potential drives.

This is what opened the door for Schroder to succeed.

Any attention on Harden meant room for Schroder to attack. He was quick to catch the ball and burst to the rim on these opportunities, making the most of the defense being preoccupied with his teammates. That extra ball-handler on the court made a huge difference for Cleveland, as the Raptors had previously stifled their offense with this aggressive help.

Schroder didn’t just have it rolling downhill; he was knocking down three-pointers, as well. Scoring from all three levels made him tonight’s hero — and even Donovan Mitchell was content sitting on the bench to let Dennis cook.

“It’s about the group,” Mitchell said about allowing Schroder to stay in the game. “It’s on me to take a step back… I know who I am, y’all know who I am… but the only thing that matters is winning the game.”

I didn’t expect Schroder to save the day, but I sure am happy he did.

New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference)

Atlanta; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Knicks -2.5; over/under is 213.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks look to clinch the series over the Atlanta Hawks in game six of the Eastern Conference first round. The Knicks defeated the Hawks 126-97 in the last meeting on Wednesday. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points, and Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with 18.

The Hawks are 27-25 in Eastern Conference games. Atlanta is 7-8 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Knicks are 35-17 in conference matchups. New York is seventh in the NBA with 45.6 rebounds per game led by Karl-Anthony Towns averaging 11.9.

The Hawks are shooting 47.4% from the field this season, 1.4 percentage points higher than the 46.0% the Knicks allow to opponents. The Knicks average 14.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 more made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Hawks give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dyson Daniels is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 18.7 points and 2.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Brunson is scoring 26.0 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 4-6, averaging 111.6 points, 41.0 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.9 points per game.

Knicks: 7-3, averaging 113.1 points, 43.6 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 8.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 102.5 points.

INJURIES: Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).

Knicks: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

There’s a kind of relationship that only championship basketball produces. It isn’t friendship or a business. It’s something more volatile than either, built over four title runs, a thousand film sessions, and three knockdown fights a year just to establish the rules.

Steve Kerr gave us the most honest line of the entire Warriors postmortem cycle when he told The New Yorker’s Charles Bethea:

“There [are] things he’s done that I can never forgive him for, and yet I will do anything for him.”

Not “I’ve forgiven him.” Not “we worked through it.” The things remain unforgivable. The loyalty remains absolute. Those two facts coexist without resolving, and that tension is exactly what made this dynasty breathe.

Kerr described their early years together as a negotiation of dominance, two fiercely competitive people establishing territory. He had to show the rest of the team he was in charge. Draymond, being Draymond, required that demonstration repeatedly and enthusiastically. What emerged was genuine mutual fluency, the kind where you can anticipate someone’s argument before they finish making it because you’ve had it enough times to have it memorized. Then December happened, and all that fluency got tested at max volume.

Which brings us to Draymond’s side of the ledger.

Draymond went to the locker room after an apparent argument with Steve Kerr

He did not play the final 20 minutes of the game

(via @shubhydoo) pic.twitter.com/HF1PywQ2mV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 23, 2025

During a 120-97 win over Orlando on December 22, the two turned the Warriors bench into a press conference nobody scheduled. Draymond eventually left for the locker room and never came back. From the outside it looked like another episode. From the inside, according to Draymond himself on The Draymond Green Show, it was something far more specific:

“I had to say what I had to say back, and then he went crazier and crazier. And the look that I saw in his eyes, I’m like, ‘I should leave.'”

That’s not impulsivity. That’s a man who has studied Steve Kerr for over a decade reading the temperature in real time and making a calculated decision to exit before the situation became something neither of them could walk back. What followed the game was the part that reframes everything. Draymond told Kerr directly that he didn’t think Kerr had ever truly liked him. Kerr cried. The man who played for Phil Jackson, who coached four champions, who has operated in the NBA pressure cooker for three decades, broke down when confronted with the possibility that the person he fought hardest questioned whether he was genuinely valued. That’s not weakness. That’s what it costs to care deeply about something difficult.

Check out Draymond’s reaction:

Draymond reacts to Steve Kerr's comments in the New Yorker

“I don't take that any way at all, speaking of this December thing, I spoke to him after that and it was like 'I don't think you like me, I don't think you've ever liked me if I'm honest' and like he cried… but if you… pic.twitter.com/IeHFeb3lzR

— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) April 29, 2026

That’s the whole thesis right there, delivered cleaner than any analyst could package it. The unforgivable things are real. The debt is also real. Both are permanent, neither canceling the other out. Kerr, for his part, made clear that his uncertainty about returning as Warriors coach isn’t abstract. It’s personal. The reason walking away feels complicated is sitting right there in the locker room:

“I don’t want to abandon those guys. If Steph and Draymond were retiring this year, I think this would be an easy decision: we all go out together.”

Twelve years. Four championships. Three fights a year becoming one major blowout a season becoming tears in a hallway after a December win over Orlando. What Kerr and Draymond built wasn’t comfortable or clean. It was exactly what championship relationships look like from the inside: real enough to wound, strong enough to survive the wounds, and honest enough to name both truths out loud without flinching.

That’s the rarest thing in professional sports. Not the rings or the wins. But the willingness to stay in something that never fully heals and still choose it anyway.

The Cleveland Cavaliers survived a thriller against the Toronto Raptors, largely thanks to Dennis Schroder.

Schroder, we all owe you an apology. You might have just saved the season.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

19 points, 3 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers

This started off as another poor showing from Mitchell. Despite a pair of absurd three-pointers in the first half, Mitchell’s decision-making was once again off from the start. He’s struggled to read Toronto’s defense in every game since Game 2 — but he finally found a groove again in the second half.

It wasn’t perfect. But Mitchell put his head down, and windmill gathered his way back into the interior. His scoring in the paint was a positive, and it helped turn the momentum back in Cleveland’s favor as they began their rally.

Notably, Mitchell was absent for a long stretch during the fourth quarter. Head coach Kenny Atkinson says that was because Mitchell insisted the Cavs keep Dennis Schroder, who was on a heater, in the game instead of him. For all of the complaints we have of Mitchell getting tunnel vision on offense — he’s still one of the more humble superstars in the league. He’ll get bonus points for that.

“It’s on me to take a step back,” said Mitchell. “I know who I am, y’all know who I am… the only thing that matters is winning the game… I could score zero points, as long as we win, I don’t give a damn.”

Grade: C–

James Harden

23 points, 5 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 6 turnovers

This game looks different if Harden doesn’t meet the moment with his scoring in the first half. Toronto couldn’t be stopped, rampaging to 74 points in the first two quarters. Harden kept the Cavs in the race by scoring 19 points of his own to keep Cleveland’s deficit in single digits.

Again, it wasn’t perfect. This was Harden’s fourth game of the series with 5+ turnovers (he had six tonight). Being careless with the ball contributed to 28 points off turnovers for the Raptors. Still, if it wasn’t for a few of his drives to the basket, this Cavalier offense would have been DOA.

Grade: B+

Evan Mobley

23 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks

I’m not sure how many Cavaliers faced more pressure entering this one. Mobley was heavily scrutinized for his poor performances in Toronto. So, how did he respond?

Well, a pair of huge triples in the fourth quarter goes a long way to making you feel better.

Mobley ended with 23 points, shooting 8-13 from the floor and re-integrating himself as one of the league’s best play-finishers. All the while, his rim protection helped pave the way for Cleveland’s second-half comeback.

Grade: B+

Dennis Schroder

19 points, 2 assists

The man of the hour.

I can’t say it enough, Schroder saved the day in Game 5. The sheer intensity and urgency with which he played every minute is a stark contrast to some of the more lackadaisical performances we’ve seen from Cavs playoff games of the past.

Schroder’s ball-handling opened the floor for Cleveland’s offense to get back into the driver’s seat. He scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, bursting to the rim and drilling clutch shot after clutch shot.

Schroder says he told the team he wants to see 'Cavs basketball' again and to return to the style they played when he first arrived in Cleveland

"Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are the keys to our team… those are two of the top bigs in the league, so we got to use them" https://t.co/F6S31d5JmR

— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) April 30, 2026

Grade: A+++

Jarrett Allen

9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks

The Cavs have been lacking force from their frontcourt. Losing the physicality battle is a theme we’ve seen too often in Cleveland. Part of winning that battle, however, is making sure the bigs are energized by being functional members of the offense. We saw that effect in the second half, as Allen went from a total no-show to a real difference maker.

I can’t say Allen was great, by any means. But a few opportunities in the short-roll and on deep-seals allowed him to get on the board. From there, a handful of great contests (and blocks) at the rim fueled Rocket Arena back into a frenzy.

Grade: C+

Dean Wade

7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Wade was moved back to the bench tonight as the Cavs opted for Max Strus in the starting five. More on that later. But Wade’s defensive impact was as strong as ever, and he made a few nice plays off the ball to make himself visible on offense. That diminished as the game went on, and Wade finished 3-10 from the floor.

But taking that many shot attempts is a step forward in and of itself. And Wade has more than proven he belongs in the playoff rotation, whether it’s as a starter or bench contributor.

Grade: B+

Max Strus

8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Strus joined the starters tonight, a risky move that initially looked like a total dud. The Cavs sacrificed size on the wing and weren’t reaping enough rewards from having another volume shooter next to the backcourt. That started to course correct itself in the second half.

The Cavs found much more success with Strus after halftime. The defense started to play with more urgency, and Strus continued to do all of the little things that won’t show up in the box score.

Grade: C+

Thomas Bryant

0 points, 1 rebound, 1 turnover

Bryant was dusted off the bench for his first meaningful run in this series. It was a mixed bag. He sets crushing screens and can match Toronto’s intensity. But he couldn’t match their speed, and struggled to contain the pick-and-roll.

Grade: D-

Jaylon Tyson

8 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists

Tyson’s stepback jumper in the fourth quarter was key to keeping momentum. He hasn’t been afraid of the moment all year, so it was great to see Tyson take and make such a key shot in Game 5.

Grade: C+

Sam Merrill

9 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal

Merrill is emerging as the silent hero of the series. His effort on defense is as high as anyone on the roster. And, he’s been gradually finding his touch from behind the arch. Merrill added 9 points on 2-3 shooting today, working his way to the free-throw line four times, as well.

Sam finished with a team-high plus-19 in this game.

Grade: B+

The Houston Rockets forced a Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers, defeating them 99-93 in Game 5, in the first round of the NBA playoffs on April 29.

The Rockets one-upped the Lakers, who saw the return of Austin Reaves. He scored 22 points in their Game 5 loss. The Lakers had been without Reaves most of the series ... and will still be without leading scorer Luka Doncic.

Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain against the Oklahoma City Thunder with days remaining in the regular season, on April 2. He's been out since.

If the Lakers eliminate the Rockets on Friday, May 1, Los Angeles will face the Thunder next in the second round of the playoffs.

The Lakers will still be without Doncic to start the second round against Oklahoma City should they advance, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. But after that?

The Lakers’ mission was to take the Rockets’ postseason life away.

But the Rockets are still breathing. 

And very much alive and confident after beating the Lakers 99-93 on the Lakers homecourt in a pivotal Game 5 to extend the best-of-seven first round playoff series by at least one more game, with the series shifting back to Houston with the Lakers leading 3-2.  

“You gotta give them a lot of credit,” coach JJ Redick said. “They made shots, including some guys who normally don’t make 3s. Our defense, you hope 99 is enough to win, and we just couldn’t make shots. Missed some layups. Certainly had some good looks from 3 that didn’t go down. But we’ll take a look at the whole process, take a look at the substitution patterns and figure out where we can be better in Game 6.”

Even with star guard Austin Reaves making his return to the lineup after being sidelined since April because of a left oblique strain, the Lakers once again struggled offensively for the second consecutive – and 2 ½ games going back to the miraculous Game 3 comeback victory in Houston. 

Reaves finished with 22 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds in 34 minutes in his first game since suffering a Grade 2 oblique strain in the April 2 loss to the Thunder, but struggled with his shooting and finishing, going 4 of 16 from the field. He made 12 of his 13 free throws.  

“I missed a lot of easy looks,” Reaves said. “We didn’t shoot it great as a team. We’ll watch film [on Thursday], get better. We’ll go try to win a game Friday.”

LeBron James led the Lakers with 25 points and 7 rebounds, but missed a pull-up 3 with 12 seconds left that would’ve cut the team’s deficit to one point.

Marcus Smart had 6 of the Lakers’ 15 turnovers.

“Take care of basketball, we’ve been through this,” Smart said. “We understand this team and how they play, and they’re very aggressive and we got to take care of basketball. Myself, I had six turnovers and that’s unacceptable for me, especially with only two assists. Especially against this team. So we definitely got to take care of the ball. We got to do a better job, all of us, and collectively, and that’ll help us for sure.”

Deandre Ayton added 18 points and 17 rebounds. 

Jabari Smith led the Rockets with 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a pair of blocked shots. 

What it means

The Rockets are one of just nine teams to force a Game 6 after dropping the first two road games and first home game consecutively under the 2-2-1-1-1 playoff format since the league went to a 16-game playoffs in 1984.

Of the previous eight teams, only two have forced a Game 7.

Overall, the Rockets are the 16th team in NBA history to force a Game 6 after trailing 0-3 in a playoff series.

Turning point

When Smart overhelped off Amen Thompson in the left corner on a Reed Sheppard drive to the late in the shot, opening up a drive-and-kick opporunity that the Rockets took advantage of, with Thompson making the corner 3 to put the Rockets up 79-69 early in the fourth.

After Reaves missed a layup on the Lakers’ ensuing possession, Jabari Smith hit another to put the Rockets up by a game-best 13 points. 

The Lakers kept the game close but didn’t cut their deficit to any closer than three points.

MVP: Alperen Sengun

Sengun recorded a series-high 8 assists to go with 9 rebounds and 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting in Game 5.

The Rockets All-Star center made the Lakers pay for sending extra help his way.

Stat of the game: 7

That’s how many more 3s the Rockets made than the Lakers. 

The Rockets shot 14 of 40 from beyond the arc compared to the Lakers’ 7-of-27 shooting on 3s. 

Up next

Game 6 of Lakers-Rockets is scheduled for Friday at Toyota Center. 

The matchup will tip off at 6:30 pm.

A largely lifeless offensive performance from the Lakers saw the Rockets take a second consecutive win in the series in Game 5 on Wednesday, 99-93. The purple and gold still lead the series 3-2.

While Austin Reaves returned for the contest and eclipsed 20 points, few other Lakers showed up as offense was hard to come by yet again. The Lakers shot 42.1% from the field and 25.9% from the 3-point line. Paired with 15 turnovers leading to 18 Houston points and the Lakers were forced to play catch-up most of the night.

The Lakers led for most of the first quarter-and-a-half, but eventually fell behind by double digits for chunks of the second half. A pair of comebacks in the final minutes saw them close the gap to three on two occassions but never any closer.

Marcus Smart had the first five points for the Lakers to kick off the game, offsetting early buckets from Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason. The Lakers parlayed a Rockets turnover into a Rui Hachimura dunk and a Smart 3-pointer gave the hosts an early four-point lead.

LEBRON FINDS RUI TO START 💥

(via @MindOfBron) pic.twitter.com/QDVSR9QDGE

— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) April 30, 2026

Ayton finished a lob from Smart and put back a Rui missed jumper to force the first timeout of the game with LA up 14-9 just past the midway point of the quarter.

Austin Reaves checked into the game during the break for his first action in just under a month and immediately found Ayton on a pair of feeds in the pick and roll, the latter leading to a basket. After throwing a terrible lob to LeBron James, he got his first points of the night with a long-range pull-up 3-pointer, putting LA up 19-13.

Reaves quickly found his groove with a lefty layup before drawing a foul on a three. Following a LeBron reverse layup off a Jake LaRavia offensive rebound, Austin found LeBron on a pick and roll as the Lakers carried a 28-21 lead into the second period.

The Lakers lead the Rockets 28-21 after 12 minutes of play. Austin Reaves looked great coming off the bench. He has 8 points and 2 assists in his five minutes of play.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) April 30, 2026

The momentum of the first quarter for LA quickly dissipated as Houston got back-to-back threes from Dorian Finney-Smith and Jabari Smith cut it to a one-point game. After Smart and LeBron missed threes, Vando finished a fastbreak layup and LeBron knocked down a midrange jumper before another DFS three had it a 32-30 Lakers lead.

Houston capped off their 17-6 run with a deep 3-pointer from Reed Sheppard to take a one-point lead as LA’s offense went cold after Reaves returned to the bench. Out of a timeout, Sheppard converted a driving layup before LeBron got the Lakers back on the board with a pair of freebies.

The end of the second quarter saw the Lakers struggle massively once again. A lucky 3-pointer from Smart while trying to draw a foul and a deep three from Reaves helped LA avoid disaster. The Rockets used a three from Josh Okogie, a cutting dunk from Amen Thompson and a pair of fastbreak baskets off turnovers to go ahead 48-44, forcing an LA timeout with 1:22 left.

Some pretty cold shooting from the Lakers here – 3/11 from 3. Houston seems content enough to allow those as of now provided it's not Hachimura/Kennard taking them

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) April 30, 2026

Out of the timeout, Rui turned the ball over, but atoned for it by saving the ball from going out of bounds on the other end before then knocking down a triple. Eason closed the half with a corner 3-pointer as the Rockets led 51-47 at the break.

Head coach JJ Redick made a change at the half, swapping out Luke Kennard for Austin. It made a difference early in the quarter as he drew fouls on consecutive possessions to help pull LA within two at 53-51, but the Lakers gave up open threes to Sheppard and Eason and found themselves down eight, the largest deficit of the night.

A lifeless start to the half for LA snowballed as the Rockets ramped up the intensity, opening up an 11-point lead after a Jabari 3-pointer. A string of empty possessions for LA featured either missed open threes or ill-advised shot attempts with the momentum squarely in favor of Houston.

After a quiet first half, LeBron finally came to life, getting to the rim to either draw a foul — including an important fourth foul on Eason — or finish, cutting the lead down to five.Holiday and Alperen Şengün eventually stopped the run, but each of their scores was answered by Ayton baskets.

Lebron IQ 🧠

Cut by Ayton pic.twitter.com/TgwqQONagJ

— 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 🏆 (@PurpGoldLakers) April 30, 2026

Back-to-back turnovers from Smart sandwiched an Aaron Holiday three, making it a 72-64 Houston lead with 2:38 left in the third. To this point, LeBron and Reaves had scored or assisted on 53 of the team’s points.

Şengün converted a pair of freebies out of the break to make it a double-digit lead again. After missing a pull-up jumper, Kennard’s first point of the game came at the free throw line, where he split a pair. On the other end, Okogie threw home a dunk on a baseline cut and LeBron smoked a layup on the other end.

LaRavia closed the period with a layup, but the Rockets took control of the game in the quarter and went into the fourth up 76-67.

Third quarter: Rockets 76, Lakers 67

Houston outscored LA 25-20 in the third. LA's offense has been stuck in the mud in 7 of the past 9 quarters. AR has 16 points and 6 assists. LeBron has 14 points and 7 assists. DA has 12 points and 11 rebounds. LA is shooting 43% with 13 TOs.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 30, 2026

After Reaves free throws to open the final frame, Thompson and Jabari knocked down threes amidst multiple empty Lakers possessions to make it a 13-point game again and force an early timeout.

The break did nothing to change the tide for LA, who could not find any offensive rhythm. Despite Houston going four minutes between field goals, the Lakers couldn’t cut into the deficit as a Şengün fadeaway jumper kept it a 13-point game.

The Rockets went four minutes (9:56 to 5:56) between field goals… and the Lakers didn't take ANYTHING off the lead in that time

— Law Murray 🪺 (@LawMurrayTheNU) April 30, 2026

LA tried to find signs of life after a layup from LeBron made it a nine-point game and forced a Rockets timeout. The run continued after the break as Ayton blocked Şengün on a drive and Rui buried a three on the other end.

After Eason split free throws, Ayton put back a missed Reaves runner to trim it to five points. After Thompson missed a turnaround jumper, LeBron’s lefty lay-in cut it to three. Sheppard finally stopped the bleeding for Houston with a pull-up jumper before stripping LeBron and finishing the layup to quickly restore the lead to seven with 2:20 left.

LeBron banked in a layup out of the timeout to cut it to five again. On the ensuing Rockets possession, Eason was initially called for his sixth fall on a charge, but Houston’s challenge was successful and the call was overturned, leading to two free throws.

Reaves’ 3-pointer missed and Houston was fouled on the rebound with 1:32 left. Şengün made both, extending it to 10 points and effectively sealing the win.

LA had one last spurt that saw them cut it to three with 24 seconds left after a putback dunk from Ayton, but it was too little, too late.

Key Player Stats

Reaves was good in his return all things considered, scoring 22 points with six assists and four rebounds in 34 minutes. LeBron had a quiet first half before turning it on in the second, finishing with 25 points and seven rebounds.

Deandre Ayton had one of his best games as a Laker, finishing with a double-double of 18 points and 17 rebounds. Marcus Smart started the game well before struggling for much of the game, finishing with 11 points and six rebounds while turning it over six times and shooting just 3-7 from the field.

Kennard was kept completely quiet, finishing with one point on 0-4 shooting. Rui had 12 points on 5-11 shooting.

The Lakers will next be in action on Friday in Houston for Game 6. Tip-off is slated for 9:30 p.m.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

According to Shams Charania, he expects the Detroit Pistons to go star hunting this season, and that could mean Lauri Markkanen.

Shams Charania expects the Pistons to make moves this off-season

“I do expect them to be star hunting or hunting for that type of player.”

Via @GetUpESPNpic.twitter.com/LUHjGv0sM6

— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) April 28, 2026

So, apparently, the Pistons will look to find players that fit their timeline, and Lauri Markkanen and Trey Murphy III fit the mold.

Here we go again…

Like all the trade rumors we saw before, the Pistons wanting Lauri Markkanen doesn’t mean they can get Lauri Markkanen unless they’re willing to pay a certain price. But now that the Jazz are going to be competitive next season, it seems much less likely they make a trade of Markkanen. At the very least, it would seem like the price for Markkanen would be higher than before.

And yet… there are a few things that make me wonder if there’s maybe a slim chance.

The first thing is the upcoming lottery. What happens if the Jazz jump to the 3 or 4 spot and come away with Cam Boozer or Caleb Wilson? Utah is already getting a little redundant at power forward with Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. There may be some consideration of some sort of move if the Pistons offer a player like Ausar Thompson and a crazy amount of picks. With the upcoming lottery changes, picks could become even more valuable because any pick could potentially become the #1 pick. It’s at least interesting to think about. And if you feel like the player you’re bringing in could replace Markkanen’s production, it seems at least plausible.

The other thing to consider is Markkanen’s contract. It’s huge, and it’s not something Utah has to worry too much about now, it will be something that could cause problems down the road. Walker Kessler is still a question mark on whether they can get a reasonable contract signed, and Keyonte George has a contract extension coming up. If he continues his breakout play this season, he’s going to rightfully demand a big contract as well.

All that said, it doesn’t feel like a Markkanen move is likely at all this season. The Jazz are in no rush to make any moves and will be pushing hard for the playoffs and beyond. And let’s say they do get lucky in the lottery and draft a top-4 pick. Having so much talent that a player like Cam Boozer comes off the bench is a great problem to have.

It seems like the only scenario in which Utah makes a move is when a team like the Pistons makes an offer that Utah would be irresponsible to turn down. That doesn’t seem likely, so this doesn’t feel like much. It’s worth monitoring, but doesn’t seem very likely.