USA Today roundtable expert predictions for Lakers vs Rockets series

The general expectation across the NBA is that the Los Angeles Lakers don't stand a real chance against the Houston Rockets in their upcoming best-of-seven first-round playoff series, which starts on Saturday. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, their top two scoring options, are out with hamstring and oblique strains, at least to start the series, and the expectation is that both stars will miss the entire series. How bad could it get for the Lakers?

The experts at the USA Today network NBA wires sites chimed in about how they feel this series will go. Spoiler alert: None of them believe LeBron James and crew will emerge victorious. Ben DuBose, Rockets Wire: The Rockets have lost too many games this season versus lesser competition for me to feel confident in predicting a short series.

But factoring in the injuries, Houston does have the superior roster, and the Rockets did go 9-1 in their final 10 games of the regular season. So, they could be peaking at the right time. As far as matchups to watch, Amen Thompson has been brilliant in recent weeks, and the Lakers don't have elite rim protection.

There will likely still be bumps along the way, and perhaps a maddening loss in there, but I'll take the Rockets to close out the series at home in Game 6. Prediction: Rockets in six Justin Quinn - Celtics Wire: If everyone was healthy, this might be one of the more compelling series in the West this postseason. But with Los Angeles as banged up as they are heading into Game 1, I'll grant that Houston should win this sooner than in six games, but for the same reason my colleagues have doubt about a shorter series, I have to give the Lakers a pair of wins.