Things are easier for Harden when he can see the trap coming. Westbrook's turnovers are maddening. Rockets not making LA pay for any of their mistakes. Nice adjustment by the Rockets doubling AD on those left low block post-ups. He's been really efficient there. Houston can’t be too mad with being down 4. Very sloppy offense, inconsistent transition D, and some missed free throws. Lakers are doing a great job running the Rockets off of the 3 point line, but their offense wasn’t impressive either.
I can only imagine what Lakers twitter would've done if THT's fadeaway against Harden fell. Never seen a team shut down the process of the Houston offense like this. Only 11 3PA in the first half. I understand what the numbers say, but it’s games like this where the Rockets’ refusal to shoot midrange jumpers is puzzling. The offense just isn’t coming smoothly, the Lakers have them bottled up in the paint and beyond the arc. The Rockets look defeated. Lethargic offense and careless defense. This is not the same Houston team I’ve seen all series. They need to come into the second half refocused. LA is doing all of the little things and killing Houston in transition. The Lakers are killing the Rockets on the offensive boards. The Lakers' offense hasn't been super, super crisp, and Anthony Davis has to do a better job of responding to the post double teams, but other than that ... this has been as good a half as the Lakers could ask for.
Looks like the Lakers are going back to the doubling of Harden in the 2nd half. I like the idea of not going to the double until the 2nd half, so they can't get experience with it in first half and make halftime adjustments. I think it was the Mavs in 2011 that really started making the fly bys a habit. I believe the rule was anytime you can run out after contesting an above the break three you do it. Helps to have a guy like LeBron who can pass it. The Lakers effort to closeout to the three point line has been just so impressive throughout the last two games. They literally are getting the Rockets to not shoot threes. Rockets have sleep walked all night. They’ve given up offensive boards, played zero transition D, and turned it over constantly. But somehow they’re down 16 and not 26. Will be interesting to see how LeBron comes out in this 4th. I’m expecting aggression.
It's been tough for Houston to have Jeff Green in the rotation this series. Rajon Rondo hasn't been the offensive force he was in the last game, but he does have 10 rebounds tonight, which really, really matters. Three-straight possessions, three-straight turnovers for the Lakers. Eight points for Houston, lead down to 8 with 2:39 left. Incredibly frustrating game if you’re a Rockets fan. Lakers didn’t do anything special on offense, but all of those offensive rebounds and fast break points came back to kill Houston. Give credit LA for their defensive adjustments on Harden though.The Rockets trail the Lakers by 19 in the 4th quarter. They became the first team with 0 fast-break points and 0 second-chance points through 3 quarters of any playoff game in the play-by-play era (since 1997).
Lakers win - two LA basketball wins away from Lakers-Clippers.
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