LeBron James' 25 points weren't enough to save the Rockets from a 99-93 victory over the Lakers.

April 30th - The Rockets defeated the Lakers 99-93. Smith scored 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Ethan added 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist. For the Lakers, James scored 25 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Reeves contributed 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists.

In the first quarter, the Lakers took the lead thanks to the playmaking of Smart and James, but the Rockets kept the score close with a combination of inside and outside play from Smith and Ayton. At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers led 28-21. In the second quarter, the Rockets took the lead again thanks to consecutive three-pointers from Smith and Sheppard. The Lakers, however, relied on James and Reeves to stabilize the situation, and the two teams tied several times. At halftime, the Rockets led 51-47.

After switching sides, the Rockets relied on consecutive scores from Ethan and Smith to widen the gap, establishing a double-digit lead on both ends of the court. At the end of the third quarter, the Rockets led 76-67. In the final quarter, the Lakers, relying on consecutive scores from James, briefly narrowed the gap to 3 points. However, in the crucial moments, Sheppard and Smith scored consecutive points to stabilize the situation for the Rockets, ultimately leading to a 99-93 victory over the Lakers.

Rockets player statistics

Smith 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists; Ethan 18 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist; Thompson 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists; Shen Jing 14 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists; Shepard 12 points, 6 assists; Okogie 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists; Finney-Smith 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist; Holiday 5 points

Lakers player statistics

James had 25 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists; Reeves had 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists; Ayton had 18 points and 17 rebounds; Hachimura had 12 points and 3 rebounds; Smart had 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists; La Lavia had 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist; Vanderbilt had 2 points and 2 rebounds; Kennard had 1 point, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Image source: Internet