Rockets beat Lakers 99-93 in Game
5, avoiding playoff elimination for the 2nd straight game
[April 30, 2026]
By GREG BEACHAM
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points, Tari Eason
added 18 and the Houston Rockets avoided playoff elimination for the
second straight game with a 99-93 victory over the Lakers in Game 5
on Wednesday night, trimming Los Angeles' lead in the first-round
series to 3-2.
Alperen Sengun had 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for
the fifth-seeded Rockets, who sent the series back to Houston for
Game 6 on Friday night with a gritty performance to overcome Austin
Reaves' return to the Lakers.
Houston has won two straight even without top scorer Kevin Durant,
who has missed four of the series' five games with injuries.
“We put ourselves in a bad position, but we can still make history
and come back one game at a time,” Sengun said. “Play at home, come
back here, just do the same thing we're doing.”
No team has ever recovered from an 0-3 deficit to win an NBA playoff
series, but the Rockets are halfway. Only four of the 159 teams to
start a series down 0-3 have ever even forced a Game 7.
LeBron James scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half and added
seven assists, but Los Angeles lost its second straight after
stealing Game 3 with an improbable rally in the final seconds of
regulation.
James’ teams have never blown a 2-0 series lead in his entire
23-year NBA career.
“Listen, it’s one game,” James said. “You give credit where credit
is due. They played well the last two games, exceptionally well, and
we’ve got to answer the call.”
Reaves had 22 points and six assists in his return from a nine-game
injury absence for the Lakers, but they committed 15 mostly
atrocious turnovers in their worst performance of the series and
only their second loss in 16 home games since February.
Los Angeles awoke for a late 11-1 run and trimmed Houston’s lead to
88-85 on a driving layup by James, but Reed Sheppard hit a jumper
before ripping the ball away from James for a dunk with 2:20 to
play. The moment looked like redemption for Sheppard, who committed
a turnover forced by James that led to the Lakers' last-minute
comeback to tie Game 3.
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Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie, center, grabs a rebound away from
Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, left, as forward Tari
Eason also reaches during the first half in Game 5 of a first-round
NBA playoffs basketball series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Los
Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
"After what happened in Game 3, we could have very
easily shut it down and pouted and quit," said Sheppard, who was ill
with congestion and a headache during the day. “That's not what we
did. We watched it and we learned from it. We keep fighting and keep
giving ourselves a chance to win.”
Deandre Ayton had 18 points and 17 rebounds for Los Angeles, which
is still without Luka Doncic. The NBA scoring champion doesn't
appear to be close to a return from a strained hamstring.
Strained oblique muscles had sidelined Reaves since April 2, but he
had 11 points and six assists in the first half of Game 5. Yet the
Rockets coolly carried an advantage into the second half and led
87-74 with 5:55 to play.
Ayton's putback dunk made it 96-93 after James and Reaves both
missed open 3-pointers. But Thompson hit one of two free throws, and
James badly missed another 3-point attempt that allowed Houston to
ice it.
The Rockets shot particularly poorly while losing the series' first
two games in Los Angeles, but they've rediscovered their collective
touch while running a balanced offense in Durant's absence. Houston
has played with the confidence exemplified Tuesday by Smith, who
claimed the Rockets were “obviously the better team” despite their
3-1 series deficit.
The Rockets' resilience is also good news for the top-seeded
Oklahoma City Thunder, who are resting and awaiting the series
winner after sweeping Phoenix.
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