LeBron James, Marcus Smart Spark 101-94 Game 2 Victory as Lakers Seize 2-0 Lead Over Rockets
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The Los Angeles Lakers protected home court once again, beating the Houston Rockets 101-94 at Crypto.com Arena to claim a 2-0 advantage in their first-round Western Conference series.
Playing without injured top scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the fourth-seeded Lakers leaned on veterans LeBron James and Marcus Smart to overcome the return of Rockets star Kevin Durant, who missed Game 1 with a knee issue.
James, 41, paced all players with 28 points on 8-for-20 shooting, adding eight rebounds and seven assists. The forward lived at the foul line, converting 10 of 14 attempts.
Smart delivered at both ends, finishing with 25 points, seven assists and five steals while hitting 5 of 7 three-pointers. His defense helped limit Durant to three second-half points.
Luke Kennard continued his strong postseason run, contributing 23 points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals on 8-for-13 shooting.
Durant led Houston with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists but also committed nine turnovers under constant double-teams. The Rockets received a late boost from his return, yet they head home facing a two-game deficit.
The series shifts to Toyota Center for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday. No NBA team has erased a 3-0 playoff hole, giving Los Angeles a chance to take firm control this weekend.
Source: LakersNation.com
