LA Lakers crush Rockets to seal playoff progression
Hope
The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semi-finals after defeating the Houston Rockets 98-78 in Game 6 on Friday night, closing out their first-round playoff series 4-2.
The fourth-seeded Lakers now move on to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, with Game 1 scheduled for Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
Los Angeles delivered a top drawer defensive performance, holding Houston to a season-low points total while capitalising on a decisive first-half surge. A 27-3 run turned a tight opening into a commanding lead, helping the Lakers take a 48-31 advantage into halftime.
The Lakers extended their lead to as much as 22 points in the third quarter and maintained control throughout the game. An early fourth-quarter 10-3 run, sparked by Rui Hachimura, effectively ended any hopes of a Rockets comeback.
Hachimura led the scoring effort with 21 points, including five three-pointers, while LeBron James added 28 points. Austin Reaves contributed 15 points in his second game back from injury, and Deandre Ayton controlled the boards with 16 rebounds.
Houston struggled offensively throughout the contest, shooting just 35 percent from the field and converting only 5 of 28 attempts from three-point range. Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 18 points, while Alperen Sengun added 17.
The Rockets’ shooting woes were evident early in the second quarter, where they missed 11 consecutive shots and managed only a single free throw before registering their first field goal midway through the period.
Despite showing resilience earlier in the series, Houston exits the playoffs in the first round for a second consecutive season.
The Lakers, meanwhile, advance to the second round for the first time since 2023 and will now prepare for a tougher test against the top-seeded Thunder.
