Turnover-plagued Lakers fail to pull off sweep in Game 4 loss to Rockets
The Lakers commit 24 turnovers and make only five three-pointers as the Houston Rockets pull away in the third quarter en route to a 115-96 win in Game 4.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and Houston guard Amen Thompson chase after the ball during the Lakers' loss in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Sunday. (Karen Warren / Associated Press) The Lakers still have control of this first-round series, even after the blow they took from the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. As ugly as their 115-96 loss was, the Lakers still hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference series.
All the Lakers have to do is win Game 5 on Wednesday night at Crypto. com Arena and they will advance to the second round. But they will have to play better than they did in Game 4.
Read more: 'It keeps getting better and better. ' Bronny James settling into Lakers playoff role LeBron James , who played a stellar 45 minutes during the Lakers’ overtime win Friday night, wasn’t as spry. He had just 10 points, reaching double figures on a floater with 8:37 left and the Lakers down 26.
He was just two for nine from the field and he had eight turnovers. James also had nine assists and became the first player in NBA history to record 3,000 field goals in the playoffs. Luke Kennard was quiet with seven points, and Marcus Smart had nine, both on three-for-eight shooting.