
Smart's defense on KD helps Lakers to 2-0 lead
Lakers defeat Rockets 101-94, lead series 2-0 with Smart's defense on Durant.
The Lakers defeated the Rockets 101-94, taking a 2-0 series lead. L.A.'s defense effectively neutralized Kevin Durant, holding Houston to under 41% shooting.
Nobody was going to confuse this for a track meet. This was an old-school playoff game — with a couple of old-school superstars — in every sense; bodies on the floor, plenty of contested possessions and defense dictating the pace from the opening tip.
Through it all, LeBron James was the steadiest presence on the floor, and it showed in the result. The Lakers won Game 2 of their first-round series against the Rockets 101-94 Tuesday night, taking a commanding 2-0 series lead heading to Houston.
Here are three key takeaways from Game 2:
The Lakers held Houston to under 41% shooting for the second straight game, only this time the Rockets had Kevin Durant back in the lineup. Durant looked like himself in the first half, scoring 20 of Houston’s 50 points.
But once the third quarter got underway, Los Angeles attacked Durant — frequent and random traps, full-court pressure and aggressive doubles that came from different angles at different times. There was no pattern to it, which was the point. Every time Durant caught the ball, he had to make a decision under duress. The result was one point in the third quarter and two points in the final frame, with nine turnovers on the night. His inability to get clean looks made Houston's offensive scheme stagnant and ineffective. Some of that does fall on coaching; Ime Udoka’s rotations were lacking and countermeasures were nonexistent.
The tone was set by Marcus Smart. From the opening whistle, he was all over the place. Two steals in the first quarter, relentless pressure on every ball-handler and a physicality that spread through the entire unit. When your team's best defender brings that energy, it becomes contagious. Houston never found its rhythm because the Lakers never let it.
Şengün finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds but still cost Houston the game. He shot 9-of-20 from the field but 9-of-19 in the paint — 47% in the area where he's supposed to dominate. He missed makeable looks at the rim that would have shifted momentum in a relatively close game.
The Lakers' defense was key, holding the Rockets to under 41% shooting and effectively breaking Durant's rhythm.
The final score was 101-94 in favor of the Lakers.
The Lakers currently lead the series 2-0.
Key takeaways include the Lakers' strong defense and LeBron James' steady performance throughout the game.

Lakers defeat Rockets 101-94, lead series 2-0 with Smart's defense on Durant.

Transfer rumors: Man United in for Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners

Chelsea announces all WSL home games will be at Stamford Bridge starting next season.
Watch Kavya Maran and Abhishek Sharma’s father celebrate his stunning century in IPL 2026!

La dieta de 6.000 calorías de Haaland se hace popular por una foto reciente
Kings lose 2-1 in overtime to Avalanche, now down 2-0 in series
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Worse, there were stretches when he was fishing for fouls and laboring through possessions trying to draw calls that work in the regular season but won’t get called in the postseason. With Durant turning it over and the bench and role players providing next to nothing (besides Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson),
Şengün is the one player capable of being an unwavering presence inside. He wasn't, and Houston is going back home having lost a game they won on the glass as they normally do. Fifty-four paint points, 17 offensive rebounds and 21 second-chance points — all good for Houston. But Şengün specifically needs to convert around the rim and step up as the second-best player for the Rockets.
Luke Kennard shot 8-of-13 for 23 points. Marcus Smart shot 8-of-13 for 25, with five 3s on seven attempts and seven assists. Those two also combined to go 8-of-13 from 3; Houston's entire team shot 7-of-20 (24%) from 3.
The Lakers are shooting the ball at a different level than the Rockets, and it's coming from players Houston doesn’t appear ready for. For the Rockets to right the ship in Houston for Game 3, someone besides Durant, Smith and Thompson needs to shine. Tari Eason shot 4-of-14. Reed Sheppard barely played and, along with Aaron Holiday and Jae’Sean Tate, the trio combined to go 0-for-8 from the floor.
With Austin Reaves possibly nearing a return, the Rockets have to go back to the drawing board and implement schematic changes to get their role players more involved in the offense. Otherwise, this could be a quick series.