Rockets handle pressure in clutch this time, hold on to beat Lakers 99-92 in Game 5, stave off elimination

LOS ANGELES — There was a "here we go again" moment for Rockets fans in the final minutes of Game 5.

A LeBron James bucket at the rim had turned a seven-point Rockets lead just 30 seconds earlier into a three-point lead — Houston fans had a flashback to their team's collapse in the final 30 seconds of Game 3.

Except this time Reed Sheppard took care of the ball, created space off an Alperen Sengun screen, and drained a midrange shot. Then Sheppard just ripped the ball away from LeBron James and went in for the uncontested dunk.

"We definitely remember what happened in game three, and we didn't want to let that happen again," Sheppard said. "So just being able to stick together and make the right play and get in the right offensive sets and get good shots, and that's what we were able to do."

Houston executed down the stretch and held on to win 99-93, staving off elimination and cutting the series lead to 3-2 Lakers. The series now shifts back to Houston for Game 6, but the vibe inside Crypto.com Arena was that everyone would be back here Sunday for Game 7.

Jabari Smith Jr. was the anchor for the Rockets, scoring 22 while shooting 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, with seven boards as well.

"He was just everywhere on the court, in every situation, passing, rebounding, his versatility is always a plus for us," Rockets coach Ime Udoka said postgame. "I think it just had a really good overall game... he controlled the game, aggressive on offense, versatile on defense, and we couldn't have done it without him."

Austin Reaves made his return from a strained oblique, and with that, Lakers fans filled Crypto on Wednesday night, expecting to celebrate winning a series nobody gave them a chance in before it started.