Lakers vs Rockets: Defense saved LA but Houston's flurry of last-minute shots are proof they're not done yet
It doesn't come as a surprise the Los Angeles Lakers were one of the teams with a decent defense, but they surely upped their ante when they belted Houston 110-100 on Thursday in Game 4. For those who watched the scrimmage, it was evident this was the Lakers' best-ever defensive play throughout the postseason. The last few minutes can be looked at as an aberration when it seemed they stopped trying and that coupled with a few fouls saw Houston throw the kitchen sink to make a comeback into the game.
Holding an offensive an all-guns-blazing team like the Rockets at just 43.1% shooting is not a small feat. Getting them to commit mistakes and forcing 16 turnovers was probably one of the factors that contributed to the win. Holding them off and running their shooters off the three-point line was another strategy that worked in favor of the Lakers. This meant the Rockets, considered to be one of the best three-point shooting teams in the league, could attempt only 33 shots.
This just made life difficult for James Harden & Co as their scoring opportunities were minimized and 42.4% of their three-pointers weren't enough to seal the deal. The Rockets were already trailing the series, and while they lost three games consecutively, they are still a threat. There might have been signs of fatigue, but considering what happened in the final minutes, they grabbed every possible opportunity and sent the ball swishing in. Free throws weren't missed, the layups were good and they narrowed the 23-point deficit to five.
They may not have gotten closer than that, but it was enough for the Lakers to know the Rockets weren't out yet. They put in a few 3s and forced turnovers and that was signs they would break the strategy. However, it was too late and that means they will have to pick themselves up in Game 5 and 6 to stand a chance of making it to the semifinal. At this stage, there's no room for complacency for the Lakers. Should Russell Westbrook hit a purple patch for Houston, this could all be over very quickly for the Lakers.
After his inconsistent performance in Game 2, Westbrook's made his way up slowly determined to shed the "Westbrick" tag as he ended Thursday's game with 25 points, while James Harden shot 21. That said, there's still one last chance for the Rockets to stay alive in the competition on Saturday. And if the Lakers make note of their final minutes-lapse, then they'll be wary of what's about to come in Game 5.