Lakers go up 2-0
- The Lakers took a 2-0 lead in their NBA playoff series after Game 2, with heavy contributions from LeBron James. (x.com) - LeBron finished Game 2 with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists for the win. (x.com) - Veteran Marcus Smart said he's "grateful" to be back and is helping the Lakers exceed expectations. (lebronwire.usatoday.com)
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 101-94 on Tuesday, April 21, to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series. (nba.com) LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 39 minutes, then scored nine fourth-quarter points, including a dunk that pushed the lead to 99-92 with 55.3 seconds left. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Marcus Smart helped swing Game 2 on both ends after returning from an ankle injury earlier this month, and ESPN reported that the Lakers used him as the primary defender on Kevin Durant in the win. (espn.com) (lebronwire.usatoday.com) The result put Los Angeles in control of a series that now shifts to Houston for Game 3 on Friday, April 24, and Game 4 on Sunday, April 26. The Lakers’ official schedule lists both road games at Toyota Center. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) That 2-0 edge came with the Lakers missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in Game 2, according to LeBron Wire, which made the win a test of their depth as much as their star power. (lebronwire.usatoday.com) Smart told ESPN he was “very grateful” to be back in the playoffs and contributing again after a stretch of injuries and uneven seasons. LeBron Wire said the Lakers signed the 32-year-old guard to a two-year, $11 million deal last summer after skepticism about how much he had left. (lebronwire.usatoday.com 1) (lebronwire.usatoday.com 2) The matchup also has a clear tactical theme: the Lakers have leaned on James’ late-game scoring and Smart’s perimeter defense to limit Houston’s top options. NBA.com said Durant was held to 15 points on 6-for-17 shooting in Game 2. (nba.com) (espn.com) Now the series turns to whether Houston can answer at home, or whether the Lakers can bring the same formula on the road and move within one win of the second round. (nba.com)
