Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will have to wait a few more days before eliminating the Houston Rockets after they lost in Game 4, 115-96, of their first-round series in the playoffs at Toyota Center on Sunday. The Lakers still hold a comfortable lead, 3-1. History is on the side of the Purple […] The post Lakers’ LeBron James goes off on ‘uncalled for’ move late in Game 4 loss to Rockets appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Rockets finally got one. Now comes the harder question. Does it actually matter? Houston’s Game 4 blowout win over the Lakers — a 115-96 result that kept the series alive — snapped an 0-3 hole that, historically speaking, is basically a death sentence. That much hasn’t changed. What has changed, at least for a […] The post Rockets could face offseason shakeup, Kevin Durant included appeared first on Hoops Wire.

The Rockets seem doomed to lose to the Lakers in the first-round. They need to make a choice this summer.

HOUSTON — To see the Lakers struggle offensively as much as they did in Sunday’s Game 4 loss to the Rockets wasn’t surprising. As coach JJ Redick reminded reporters, the Rockets had been a top-10 defensive team the entire 2025-26 season, finishing at No. 6 in defensive rating for the regular season. Houston Rockets guard...

Although the Houston Rockets’ 115-96 Game 4 win against the Los Angeles Lakers kept their season alive, one NBA analyst believes the Rockets could consider a Kevin Durant trade during the offseason. Against LeBron James and the Lakers, the Rockets avoided a 4-0 sweep in Game 4. Without Durant, Houston cruised to a 19-point victory. […] The post NBA rumors: Analyst names 22 teams he thinks could have Kevin Durant trade interest appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Houston Rockets were able to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers by taking Game 4 and sending the series back to L.A. But attitudes and frustrations between the two teams began to boil over with multiple technical fouls and ejections and the two teams needing to be separated right […]

On Sunday evening, the Houston Rockets picked up their first win of the playoffs with a Game 4 blowout victory over the Los Angeles Lakers to stave off elimination and send the series back to Los Angeles. The Rockets were once again playing without Kevin Durant in this one, but it mattered not, as Houston […] The post Why Rockets’ Ime Udoka loved Reed Sheppard’s Game 4 fight after previous struggles vs. Lakers appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Los Angeles Lakers have found a way to manage in their first round series against the Houston Rockets despite their top two scorers Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain) being out with injuries. Reaves appears to be further along in his recovery than Doncic as he was listed […]

The Los Angeles Lakers were not able to complete the sweep against the Houston Rockets, as they lost 115-96 in Game 4. Though it wasn’t their best performance, it was something else that seemed to bother the Lakers toward the end of the game, and it was the ejection of Adou Thiero. With less than […] The post Lakers’ Luka Doncic will foot bill for any Adou Thiero fine after controversial ejection appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton hit the showers early on Sunday when he was ejected against the Houston Rockets in Game 4 of their first-round matchup in the playoffs at Toyota Center. Ayton was defending Alperen Sengun with five minutes left in the third quarter when his forearm hit the latter’s head. Ayton was […] The post Rockets’ Alperen Sengun, Ime Udoka blast ‘soft’ Deandre Ayton ejection appeared first on ClutchPoints.

LeBron James, JJ Redick and others voice their concerns with NBA officiating following Deandre Ayton's ejection from Game 4 of Lakers-Rockets playoff series.

With his doggedness and tenacity, Marcus Smart was an unlikely hero for the Los Angeles Lakers in their first three wins against the Houston Rockets in their first-round series in the playoffs. He, however, was overpowered in Game 4 at Toyota Center on Sunday, as the Rockets avoided elimination with a convincing victory, 115-96. Smart, […] The post Lakers’ Marcus Smart needed just 1 word to describe post-Game 4 trash talk with Rockets appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Game 4 of the first round series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets saw some tensions boil over down the stretch. A minor late-game altercation with about a minute remaining led to Lakers rookie Adou Thiero and Rockets guard Aaron Holiday both getting ejected. The altercation between the two seemed pretty minor and […]

The Lakers had a chance to become the first team to wrap up a playoff series Sunday night, but the Rockets avoided a sweep with a 115-96 win on their home court. The game featured an uncharacteristically bad performance from LeBron James, who finished with eight turnovers and 10 points while shooting 2-of-9 from the […]

The Los Angeles Lakers have failed to complete the series sweep against the Houston Rockets, as they scuffled almost all night long and fell off the pace entirely in the third quarter. They ended up losing by a convincing 19-point margin, 115-96, as the series heads back to LA for another closeout attempt from the […] The post Lakers’ JJ Redick pinpoints flaw that can be addressed once Austin Reaves returns appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Kevin Durant remains sidelined with an ankle bone bruise, but Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka left the door open for the veteran forward's return after Sunday's 115-96 Game 4 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers extended the first-round playoff series. Durant has now missed three of four games this postseason. He sat out the series opener with a bruised right knee, returned for Game 2, scoring 23 points in 41 minutes before re-injuring his ankle late, then missed Games 3 and 4. "Yeah, a possib...

On Sunday evening, the Houston Rockets kept their season alive with a blowout Game 5 win over the Los Angeles Lakers by a score of 115-96. It was a much-needed comfortable win for a Rockets team that had found some unique ways to lose in the first three games of this series. This game marked […] The post Rockets’ Alperen Sengun jokes about messing up pre-Game 4 motivational speech that saved season appeared first on ClutchPoints.

A “heavy frontrunner” has emerged as the NBA considers its options to reduce tanking, league and team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic. In March, the league presented three separate lottery reform concepts to its governors to address the problem. It appears Option No. 1, which expands the draft lottery to 18 teams from […]

The Houston Rockets avoided getting swept in Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, getting a 115-96 win. In between the game, there was a lot of back and forth between both teams that led to technicals, as well as several ejections. The first ejection was of DeAndre Ayton after a hit to the face […] The post Rockets’ Jae’Sean Tate challenges much larger Lakers player to fight during post-Game 4 trash talk appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Los Angeles Lakers had a chance to finish off the Kevin Durant-less Houston Rockets on Sunday, but a sweep was not in the Lakers’ plans, and LeBron James is blaming himself for that. After the 115-96 loss in Houston, James, who had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists, made sure to point out […] The post LeBron James’ ‘unacceptable’ confession after Lakers’ Game 4 dud vs. Rockets appeared first on ClutchPoints.