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A 6-point lead, 30 seconds left, and a Rockets unraveling that flipped Game 3
TL;DR
The Houston Rockets lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 112-108 in overtime after leading by six points with 30 seconds left. This defeat puts them on the brink of elimination in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Key points
- Rockets led by six points with 30 seconds left
- Lost to Lakers 112-108 in overtime
- On the brink of elimination in playoffs
- Kevin Durant missed the game due to injury
- Coach Ime Udoka cited 'horrendous mistakes'
Mentioned in this story
Ime Udoka
Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers
HOUSTON (AP) — Leading by six with under 30 seconds to go, the Houston Rockets were on the verge of their first victory against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Instead, they fell apart and eventually lost 112-108 in overtime on Friday night and are on the brink of elimination in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
“Horrendous mistakes,” coach Ime Udoka said. “I don’t know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment, or whatever the case.”
Even with Kevin Durant out for a second game in this series — this time with a sprained ankle after missing Game 1 with a knee injury — the Rockets were in position to close out the game after LeBron James had consecutive turnovers that Houston turned into a 101-95 lead.
It was then that everything went wrong for the Rockets. Marcus Smart was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 25 seconds to go in the fourth after a Houston turnover and made all three free throws to get the Lakers within three.
James then stole the ball from Reed Sheppard and his 3-pointer tied it at 101-all with 13 seconds to go in the fourth.
“It was a stupid turnover,” Sheppard said. “(Alperen Sengun’s) man came up. I should have hit Alpie right over halfcourt and just made the simple play. I tried to split the two defenders.”
The Rockets had a chance to take the lead after that, but Sengun’s 7-footer was off. James grabbed the rebound and called a timeout. He caught the inbounds pass and had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his 3-point attempt bounced off the rim to send it to OT.
Houston struggled at times to close out games in the fourth quarter during the season and the problem continued Friday night.
“It’s obviously a weakness of ours to close out and finish,” Udoka said. “The amount of mistakes or the type of mistakes are egregious and you can’t have those.”
This is the second straight playoff trip for the Rockets after they returned last season for the first time since 2020. They were eliminated in the first round in seven games by .
Q&A
What happened in Game 3 between the Rockets and Lakers?
The Rockets led by six points with 30 seconds remaining but lost 112-108 in overtime.
Why did the Rockets lose despite having a lead late in the game?
The Rockets made critical mistakes in the final moments, allowing the Lakers to capitalize and eventually win in overtime.
What impact did Kevin Durant's absence have on the Rockets?
Kevin Durant's absence, due to a sprained ankle, left the Rockets without a key player, but they still managed to take a late lead against the Lakers.
What does this loss mean for the Rockets in the playoffs?
This loss puts the Rockets on the brink of elimination in their first-round series against the Lakers.
