The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off one of the NBA’s rarest postseason comebacks on April 24, 2026, rallying from a 101-95 hole with 34.4 seconds left to beat the Houston Rockets in overtime at Toyota Center and seize a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.
Houston had possession when the late surge began. With 27.8 seconds remaining, guard Marcus Smart intercepted Jabari Smith Jr.’s pass, then drew a foul on a three-point attempt 2.4 seconds later. Smart sank all three free throws, trimming the gap to 101-98.
On the ensuing inbounds play, LeBron James stripped rookie Reed Sheppard, recovered the ball and buried a game-tying three-pointer. The Lakers got one last defensive stop to force the extra period, then controlled overtime to finish the comeback.
According to NBA tracking cited by analyst Keerthika Uthayakumar, playoff teams had been 1,713-1 over the last 29 seasons when leading by at least six points in the final 30 seconds of regulation. Houston’s collapse makes that record 1,713-2, joining the 2024 New York Knicks as the only clubs to lose under those circumstances.
James spearheaded the closing burst, while Smart’s steal and free throws set the stage. Forward Rui Hachimura, who scored 22 points on efficient shooting, credited the Lakers’ resolve. “We never give up,” he said postgame. “In the regular season we might have let it go, but we knew something could happen and we fought through.”
The victory puts Los Angeles one win from advancing to the Western Conference semifinals, with Game 4 scheduled back in Houston.
Source: LakersNation.com
