NBA Playoffs: The Rockets stay alive against the Lakers

The Houston Rockets avoided elimination in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs by convincingly defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 115-96 in the fourth game of the series played on Sunday night.

The Texan team, trailing 3-0, reacted with a balanced attack led by Amen Thompson, who scored 23 points, and Tari Eason, who added 20. Also crucial were Alperen Sengun (19), Reed Sheppard (17), and Jabari Smith Jr. (16), with all starters reaching at least 16 points.

Houston secured their first series victory despite the absence of Kevin Durant, who missed his third consecutive game due to a left ankle sprain after also being absent in the first game due to a knee injury.

"I am proud of the team. With our backs against the wall, we responded," Thompson said after the game. "Today we made shots and capitalized on turnovers."

For the Lakers, Deandre Ayton scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds before being ejected in the third quarter for a Flagrant 2 foul after hitting Sengun in the head. His performance was insufficient on a bleak night for the team.

LeBron James did not have his best performance, finishing with 10 points (2 for 9 shooting), nine assists, and eight turnovers. After scoring 19, 28, and 29 points in the first three games, the Lakers' leader was surpassed on this occasion, along with the rest of the team, which only made five three-pointers after hitting 35 in the previous games.

Neither James, Marcus Smart, nor Luke Kennard found success from beyond the arc, reflecting a tough night for the Lakers, who committed 23 turnovers.

"If we want to win the series, we have to take care of the ball and secure defensive rebounds," James acknowledged. "Turnovers killed us from start to finish."

Great performance by the Rockets at last

The team coached by Ime Udoka came out determined from the start, not wanting to repeat the outcome of the third game where they squandered a lead in the final seconds before falling in overtime. Houston dominated from the beginning, led by nine points at halftime and sealed the game in the third quarter, extending their lead to 25 points at the start of the final period.

With the game decided, Lakers' coach JJ Redick rested his starters in the final minutes.

The fifth game will take place on Wednesday in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will have a new opportunity to close out the series, while Houston will aim to continue their playoff run.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Playoffs NBA: Los Rockets se mantienen vivos ante los Lakers