LeBron’s big playoff night
- The Lakers pushed to a 2–0 first‑round lead over the Rockets in the NBA playoffs last night. (x.com) - LeBron James, 41, scored 28 points with 8 rebounds and 7 assists, even throwing a reverse windmill dunk. (x.com) - His Game 2 heroics arrived amid wider playoff injury watch, with Luka Dončić’s status singled out as a major variable. (x.com) (usatoday.com)
LeBron James scored 28 points Tuesday night and carried the Lakers to a 101-94 win over Houston, giving Los Angeles a 2-0 lead in the first-round series. (apnews.com) James, 41, added eight rebounds and seven assists in 40 minutes at Crypto.com Arena, and the NBA’s Game 2 highlights included his late reverse windmill dunk. Marcus Smart scored 25 points and hit five 3-pointers for Los Angeles. (nba.com) (espn.com) Houston led 51-54 at halftime, but the Rockets scored only 17 points in the third quarter as the Lakers took control. Kevin Durant finished with 23 points, while Alperen Sengun had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Houston. (espn.com) (basketball.realgm.com) The result put the Lakers halfway to advancing even though two of their top scorers, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, remained out for Game 2. USA Today reported before tipoff that Dončić was still sidelined as the series shifted around his recovery timeline. (usatoday.com 1) (usatoday.com 2) That has made James’ workload central to the series. The Associated Press described the Lakers as short-handed again, and James responded with his second straight lead role after Los Angeles also won Game 1. (apnews.com) (nba.com) The matchup has also turned on defense and shot-making beyond James. RealGM’s box score showed the Lakers shot better from the field, with an effective field-goal rate of.549 to Houston’s.444, while Smart’s five made 3s gave Los Angeles needed perimeter scoring. (basketball.realgm.com) (nba.com) The series now moves to Houston for Game 3 on Friday, April 24, with the Lakers holding the margin every home team wants and the Rockets needing a response before the hole gets deeper. (nba.com)
