Injury-depleted Houston Rockets, LA Lakers feeling urgency about NBA play-offs Game 5

LOS ANGELES – In a series that has been devoid of impact players, the Los Angeles Lakers will get another chance to advance into the National Basketball Association (NBA) Western Conference semi-finals when they play host to the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of their first-round series on April 29 (April 30 morning, Singapore time).

The Rockets staved off elimination in Game 4 and won their first game of the series with a 115-96 win on April 26. Without Kevin Durant for the third time in four games, Houston got 23 points and seven assists from Amen Thompson, while Tari Eason added 20 points.

Houston turned aggressive defence into 24 turnovers that led directly to 30 points and also held Los Angeles to just 22.7 per cent (five of 22) from three-point range.

Eason added a game-high five steals to go along with eight rebounds and he could once again play a key part in Game 5.

“He just kinda goes rogue at times,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said of Eason.

Following Eason’s lead, the fifth-seeded Rockets are embracing the outlaw mentality and expressing confidence, even while down 3-1 in the series.

“We’re obviously the better team,” said Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr, who has averaged 18.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in the series. “I just feel like from top to bottom... we’re the better team.”

Durant missed Game 1 because of a bruised right knee and sat out Games 3 and 4 with a left ankle sprain. He was ruled out for Game 5 on April 28.

“He is doing the conditioning and other aspects to try and get back,” Udoka added of Durant.

The Lakers have been without their top two regular season leading scorers in Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (side strain). Doncic is not expected to play regardless of how long the series lasts, with Reaves trending towards a return on April 29 as a game-time decision, according to head coach JJ Redick.

“JJ specifically was like, you have to be comfortable with your body and what you can do to go out there and help us be successful,” Reaves said. “And I want to get back out there as fast as I can. I feel good and trending in the right direction.”

Since Doncic and Reaves were injured in an April 2 regular-season game at Oklahoma City, Los Angeles have gone 6-3 without the duo, including play-off games.

LeBron James, 41, has led the fourth-seeded Lakers in the series with 21.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists. Sharpshooter Luke Kennard has stepped into a starting role and delivered an average of 17.8 points, while shooting 45 per cent from three-point range in the post-season.

Veteran Marcus Smart has also stepped up his play with 17.5 points and 7.5 assists per game, up from 9.3 points and 3.0 assists in the regular season.

No team have lost an NBA play-off series after taking a 3-0 lead, and the Lakers are determined to not be the first. Redick is not taking anything for granted and gave a blunt assessment on what it will take to move on.

“You have to kill them,” he said. “It’s difficult to kill someone.

“Survival instinct says, ‘I want to stay alive’. And so, you’ve got to be able to kill them.”

Meanwhile in NBA action on April 28, the San Antonio Spurs punched their ticket to the second round after leading wire to wire in a 114-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Victor Wembanyama scored 17 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked six shots to help the Spurs wrap up a 4-1 win in their Western Conference series.

In the East, Philadelphia star Joel Embiid scored 33 points and handed out eight assists as the 76ers fended off elimination with a 113-97 victory over the Boston Celtics, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

The New York Knicks seized a 3-2 lead in their series with a 126-97 home victory over the Atlanta Hawks. REUTERS, AFP