LeBron James says Lakers remain uneasy despite 3-1 edge on Rockets
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HOUSTON — The Los Angeles Lakers failed to close out the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, falling in Game 4 of their first-round series but still owning a 3-1 advantage heading back to Los Angeles for Game 5.
After the 112-104 defeat, LeBron James dismissed any notion that the Lakers feel secure with the lead. “Hell no,” the forward said when asked if the team is comfortable. “There’s no such thing as being comfortable until a series is done. None of us are.”
James stressed that the Lakers’ mindset for Wednesday’s Game 5 must mirror their approach in the opening contests. “We understand what our game plan is; we didn’t execute that for 48 minutes today, so we’ll get better from it,” he said.
No NBA club has ever lost a best-of-seven series after leading 3-0, but the Lakers enter Game 5 still without their top two scorers. Guard Austin Reaves, sidelined since Game 1, is listed as a potential return, though James cautioned that availability alone guarantees nothing.
Turnovers were a focal point of the veteran’s postgame remarks. James finished with 10 points and eight giveaways, calling ball security the decisive factor in the loss. “We didn’t take care of the ball, and that cost us,” he noted.
If Los Angeles cannot clinch at Crypto.com Arena, the series shifts back to Toyota Center for Game 6, flipping pressure squarely onto the higher seed. “Job’s not finished,” James said, echoing the late Kobe Bryant’s 2009 Finals mantra.
Source: Lakers Nation
