Lakers lose Game 4, still lead 3-1
- The Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 115-96 in Game 4 on April 26, cutting Los Angeles’ first-round lead to 3-1. - Amen Thompson scored 23 points, Tari Eason had 20, and the Lakers coughed up 23 turnovers while making only five three-pointers. - Game 5 is Wednesday, April 29, in Los Angeles, with the Lakers still one win from advancing. (nba.com)
Houston kept its season alive on Sunday, beating the Lakers 115-96 in Game 4 and trimming Los Angeles’ series lead to 3-1. (nba.com) (espn.com) Amen Thompson led Houston with 23 points, Tari Eason scored 20, and every Rockets starter finished with at least 16 points. (espn.com) (nba.com) The Lakers never solved their ball-security problem. They committed 23 turnovers and hit just 5 of 22 shots from three-point range. (nba.com) (espn.com) LeBron James scored 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting, handed out nine assists, and committed eight turnovers in 33 minutes. (nba.com) (sports.yahoo.com) Deandre Ayton was the Lakers’ best scorer with 19 points and 10 rebounds, but he was ejected in the third quarter after a flagrant foul 2 on Alperen Sengun. (espn.com) (nba.com) Houston had opened the series with three straight losses, including a 112-108 overtime defeat in Game 3 after letting a late lead slip away. Game 4 was its first win of the matchup. (nba.com) (espn.com) The series now shifts back to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Wednesday, April 29, at 10 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. The Lakers are still one win from the second round, and the Rockets still need three in a row. (nba.com)
