Lakers send the Rockets reeling, take 3-1 lead in series - OCRegister

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — In the middle of the fourth quarter, LeBron James lined up next to the lane for a pair of Houston free throws. With a double-digit lead in hand for most of the night, James looked carefree, bouncing his hips to the strains of Aaliyah playing in the gym.

If at first you don’t succeed, brush yourself off and try again.

How long ago that Game 1 loss seemed on Thursday night, when the Lakers knocked around the Houston Rockets 110-100 and took a 3-1 lead in their second-round playoff series at AdventHealth Arena.

• Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James points during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Houston Rockets Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers scrambles for a loose ball during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets reacts during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, left, yells at referee Tony Brown, right, during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball against Jeff Green #32 of the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts with Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Houston Rockets’ James Harden (13) keeps the ball from Los Angeles Lakers’ Danny Green during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball against Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets during the third quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Los Angeles Lakers’ Alex Caruso lies on the court after making contact with Houston Rockets’ Austin Rivers during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Houston Rockets’ James Harden, left, looks to dribble around Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Markieff Morris #88 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Los Angeles Lakers’ Rajon Rondo (9) drives toward the basket as Houston Rockets’ Ben McLemore (16) defends during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball against James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Danny Green #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball as Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets and Eric Gordon #10 of the Houston Rockets defend during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets reacts during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts with Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket against Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers fight for possession during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Rajon Rondo #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets is fouled as LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, Markieff Morris #88 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers defend during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Markieff Morris #88 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Danny Green #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers fight for a rebound against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts from the sidelines during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Danny Green #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Rajon Rondo #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball against Houston Rockets during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets drives the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets drives the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers blocks a shot by James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Jeff Green #32 of the Houston Rockets is fouled as Rajon Rondo #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers defend during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Rajon Rondo #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball against Ben McLemore #16 of the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers has blood on his shirt that is being cleaned off during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers is guarded by Jeff Green #32 of the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Robert Covington #33 of the Houston Rockets fight for possession during tip-off in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets reacts prior to the start of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets drives the ball against Markieff Morris #88 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets drives the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball against P.J. Tucker #17 of the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball against P.J. Tucker #17 of the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• The Houston Rockets kneel during the National Anthem prior to the start of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Technically speaking, the Lakers require another win to advance. But in Game 4, the truth was laid plain: The Lakers are the better team.

It was realized by the swarming hands and quick feet of their defense, which held the Rockets’ James Harden in check for almost the entire evening. It was shown in a balanced offensive effort, which allowed the Lakers to win despite just 16 points from James.

It came on a night when the Lakers fully committed to playing “small,” starting Markieff Morris instead of regular center JaVale McGee to better match up with Houston’s shorter, 3-point shooting group. But James pointed out that even when the Lakers go small, they’re still plenty big enough to punish the Rockets — a point he emphasized by spreading his arms.

“We all have this wingspan and we play hard,” James said. “When you have that type of length, when you have that type of athleticism, throughout five guys, it definitely helps clean the glass. Defend. Be able to rotate. Be able to be in communication, where if something breaks down, you have guys that can fly around and help as well. It’s a good lineup for us.”

The Lakers walloped the Rockets for most of the game, their switchable scheme and timely double-teams mostly keeping Harden off the ball. He scored just 21 points, the fewest he’s gotten in this series, and the Rockets managed just 41 points in the first half as a result. The Lakers led by as much as 23 points, rotating with breezy confidence, their defense seemingly ironclad.

Then the Rockets came out of hibernation late in the fourth quarter. Russell Westbrook led a 22-4 charge that nearly caught the Lakers in their victory lap. The last of Harden’s 20 free throw attempts closed the gap to just five points with 58 seconds left.

But even then, the Lakers had an answer, closing with a 3-pointer from Alex Caruso (16 points) and an emphatic jam from James, all but shutting the book on Houston in the game and in the series that has left them looking out of steam and out of the ability to change their approach.

“I didn’t have one second guess if I was gonna hit him in that corner when I seen that he had a little bit of space,” James said of Caruso. “And he knows that I have the confidence in him to knock it down.”

Though Anthony Davis finished with a game-high 29 points, it was a night where the team’s depth shined on the offensive end as James and Davis were targeted by Rockets’ double-teams. Six Lakers scored in double figures, and everyone who played scored — even rookie Talen Horton-Tucker.

Though the Lakers played without two of their best rebounders in McGee and Dwight Howard, their superior length still gave them massive advantages on the glass (52 to 26), paint scoring (62 to 24) and second-chance points (17 to 3). Davis had 12 rebounds, but James led the team with 15, just an assist shy of a triple double.

But the lineup change also allowed the Lakers to more effectively chase the Rockets off the 3-point line: For the second straight game, a team that averaged a league-high 45 threes per game shot 33 or fewer, forcing them inside the arc where they have to deal with the shot-blocking prowess of Davis and James.

“When you have the confidence you can go 4-5-6 possessions where you’re just squeezing the other team’s offense,” Coach Frank Vogel said, “getting stops and then with our ability to run the floor with LeBron James being the quarterback of that action and being in attack mode, we have strong belief in what we can accomplish as a group.”

The series has seen the Lakers sharpening their claws: Their double-teams and schemes to chase 3-point shooters off the line has become more precise, and on offense, they’ve become less reliant on superhuman scoring nights from James and Davis.

It wouldn’t matter much if the Rockets had answers to the Lakers’ strategies, because they don’t have the manpower. Danuel House missed a second straight game after it was revealed in media reports that he was under investigation for a violation of bubble protocols.

With the Clippers up 3-1 in their series against the Denver Nuggets, a possible first-ever All-L.A. series seems on the horizon in the Western Conference Finals. And for the Lakers, the growth they’ve shown in this series has lit the pathway to how far they can go.

“We can play big, we can play small, we can play in between and we have the lineup to do so,” said Davis. “But the players have confidence in each other, the coaches have confidence in the players which makes our team special.”

The Link Lonk


September 11, 2020 at 09:21AM
https://www.ocregister.com/2020/09/10/lakers-send-the-rockets-reeling-take-3-1-lead-in-series/

Lakers send the Rockets reeling, take 3-1 lead in series - OCRegister

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