Lakers take 2-0 lead

The Lakers beat the Rockets 101-94 on Tuesday, April 21, and carried a 2-0 lead back to Houston in their first-round series. (nba.com) LeBron James finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Game 2, while Marcus Smart added 25 points and five three-pointers and Luke Kennard scored 23. (espn.com) Los Angeles did it again without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and James, Smart and Kennard combined for 76 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists. Smart hit a late three, James threw down a dunk with 55.3 seconds left, and Kennard made the last two free throws. (sports.yahoo.com) The series has turned on depth as much as star power. The Lakers are the No. 4 seed, the Rockets are No. 5, and Los Angeles has protected home court even with two regular rotation scorers sidelined. (nba.com) (espn.com) Houston got Kevin Durant back for Game 2 after he missed Game 1 with a right knee contusion, but the Lakers still kept control. Durant scored 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, then had only three points after halftime and committed nine turnovers. (espn.com) (nba.com) The Rockets have had production from Alperen Sengun, who posted 20 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2, and Jabari Smith Jr., who added 18. Houston still shot 40.4% from the field and made seven three-pointers in the loss. (espn.com) (nba.com) Through two games, the Lakers are averaging 104.0 points to Houston’s 96.0, while James leads the series at 23.5 points and 10.0 assists per game. The Rockets have a quick turnaround: Game 3 is set for Friday, April 24, at Toyota Center in Houston. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Now the pressure shifts to Houston, where the Rockets need a home response to avoid a 3-0 hole. The Lakers arrive with two wins, a working closing lineup, and James still steering the series at age 41. (nba.com) (espn.com)