Lakers 2-0, Durant turnover trouble
- The Lakers won Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead over the Rockets in the first round. - LeBron James, Luke Kennard, and Marcus Smart combined for 76 points while Kevin Durant committed nine turnovers in his return. - Los Angeles' defensive scheme forced Durant into mistakes, and Game 3 is set for April 24 in Houston with the series shifting home. ( )
The Lakers carried their home edge into Game 2, beating Houston 101-94 on April 21 and taking a 2-0 lead in the first-round series. (nba.com) LeBron James scored 28 points with eight rebounds and seven assists, Marcus Smart added 25 points and seven assists, and Luke Kennard’s two-game scoring total reached 52 after his 27-point opener. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) Houston got Kevin Durant back after he missed Game 1 with a right knee contusion, but he finished with 23 points, four assists and nine turnovers, which matched a playoff career high. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) The Lakers have won the first two games without a runaway offensive night because they have turned the series into a half-court grind. Los Angeles held Houston to 94 points in Game 2 after allowing only 98 in Game 1, and NBA.com’s series page lists the Rockets at 96.0 points per game through two games. (espn.com) (nba.com) Durant said after the game that he “felt lost” as the Lakers disrupted Houston’s offense, and ESPN reported Los Angeles held the Rockets to 35 second-half points while forcing 15 turnovers in that earlier matchup. (espn.com) The matchup has also flipped some expectations from the regular season. Houston entered the playoffs as the West’s No. 5 seed at 52-30, while the Lakers were No. 4 at 53-29, but Los Angeles is now halfway to advancing after protecting home court twice. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Game 3 is scheduled for Friday, April 24, at Toyota Center in Houston, where the Rockets will try to cut into a series that has so far been defined by Lakers defense and Durant mistakes. (nba.com)
