Rockets force Game 6 against Lakers as Ime Udoka's pressure tactics yield results in Game 5
Despite the continued absence of Kevin Durant, the Rockets' resilience in the final minutes, led by rookie Reed Sheppard, has cut the series deficit to 3-2 and set up a decisive match in Houston.
The Houston Rockets have defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 99-93 in Game 5 of their first-round NBA playoff series at Crypto.com Arena, cutting the series deficit to 3-2 and forcing a decisive Game 6. The victory marks a significant turnaround for the Rockets following a collapse in Game 3, where they squandered a six-point lead with under 40 seconds remaining.
Coach Ime Udoka's post-Game 3 criticism regarding the team's "horrendous mistakes" and lack of maturity appears to have resonated, with the team displaying improved resilience. The young core, which experienced the highs and lows of an intense seven-game playoff series last year, has shown that they can respond without Kevin Durant in the lineup. Houston has now won six of their last seven games without Durant, improving to a 6-2 record in his absence during this series.
The contest was played without Kevin Durant for Houston, who has missed four games due to knee and ankle injuries. His absence has been a major factor in the Rockets' defensive struggles and offensive limitations, yet the team has found a way to compete. The Lakers entered the game with star LeBron James on a 16-game winning streak in close-out home games, but they struggled offensively, shooting just 42.1 per cent from the floor.
Austin Reaves returned to the Lakers' lineup after missing the previous nine games with an oblique injury, though the Lakers still faced pressure after losing their home-court advantage. The Rockets' offensive deficiencies, particularly in shot-making, were evident in the first two games in Los Angeles, where they took significantly more field goal attempts than the Lakers but failed to convert.
Rookie guard Reed Sheppard delivered critical late-game plays, including a mid-range jumper with 2:37 remaining and a steal-and-dunk sequence that extended the lead to seven points with 2:20 left. Sheppard, the No 3 pick in the 2024 draft, made two critical plays to ultimately force a Game 6, bringing the energy to a halt just as the Los Angeles crowd started to get back into the game.
No team in NBA history has ever come back to win a series from a 3-0 deficit. The Rockets are the 16th team in history to force a Game 6 after falling into that hole; the last team to force a Game 7 from such a position was the Boston Celtics in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals. The win shifts momentum back to Houston, while the Lakers face pressure after losing their home-court advantage.
