Lakers vs Rockets: LeBron James, Anthony Davis may have saved the day but Los Angeles aren't favorites anymore
After the Game 1 shellacking, Los Angeles Lakers sporting the mamba jerseys looked unbeatable as the ended the first quarter with a 21-point lead. It was an improved, all-round performance by LeBron James and Co as they all chipped in with points. For the next two quarters, Lakers fans were left plucking their hair out as the team gave up 41 points and actually ended up trailing by a couple of points.
It took some vintage James plays to get them to regroup as they eventually took Game 2 117-109. The numbers notched by the Lakers were far better than Game 1. LeBron had 28 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, Davis added 34 points and 10 rebounds, Markieff Morris chipped in with 16 points.
They even had Russell Westbrook to thank as the Rockets' man had a forgettable day. James Harden's 27 points along with Eric Gordon's 24 (He made six 3-pointers of Houston's 22) and PJ Tucker's 18 points weren't enough to them to extend the lead.
However, the Lakers will have a lot to work on, starting with the Rockets' offense. The quick passing gave them enough time to get a look in and launch the three-pointers seamlessly. Focussing on James Harden alone won't cut it. While they did manage to keep "The Beard" quiet, Gordon stepped up as he dunked the 3's and was instrumental in closing out the 21-point gap. And despite the incredible shooting, they were outdone by some brilliance from LeBron.
To add to this, the Rockets have also upped the ante on their defense and that just makes it even harder for the Lakers to create scoring opportunities. The biggest challenge will be to make it hard for the Rockets to shoot their three-pointers. One of the things they will be looking at is getting more of Rajon Rondo who impressed after a shaky Game 1 return and next up will be nailing those three-pointers. The Rockets would be ruing the dismal play by Westbrook who could have helped make it 2-0.
However, it is safe to say the Lakers aren't really the favorites anymore. It's just a question of who wants the series win the most and what they'd put on the line to get it. Houston may have come in with less rest, but they eliminated that factor by putting up an impressive win. They'll be counting on Harden's relentless offensive plays to make it through for them. For the Lakers, they'll be needing more than their stars, LeBron and Davis, to step up if they intend on making it to the next part.
The two teams will meet again on Tuesday, September 8.