Lakers fall to Rockets in Game 5 to extend series despite return of Austin Reaves

LOS ANGELES – The series is heading back to Houston.

In front of a loud playoff crowd at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers got off to a strong start but couldn’t sustain it, falling 99-93 to the Houston Rockets in Game 5 as their once commanding 3-0 series lead is now cut to 3-2.

Facing elimination, Houston responded with urgency behind its starting lineup, which all scored in double figures and combined for 81 points to keep the season alive.

LeBron James led the Lakers with 25 points, while Austin Reaves added 22 points and six assists in his return to the lineup. But despite the offensive contributions, L.A. struggled to find rhythm offensively when it mattered most.

“We just couldn’t make shots,” coach JJ Redick said. “Missed some layups, certainly had some good looks from three that didn’t go down. But we’ll take a look at the whole process and take a look at the substitution patterns and figure out where we could be better in Game 6."

As the Rockets fought to extend their season, Marcus Smart said the Lakers need to match that same desperation heading into Game 6 while adding that the series just got “a lot more fun” despite the loss.

Smart helped spark the Lakers early, scoring eight of the team’s first 14 points, while Deandre Ayton controlled the glass with five rebounds in the opening minutes, including three on the offensive end.

After the first timeout with the Lakers leading by five, Reaves checked in for his first action since March 2 and made an immediate impact. He knocked down a deep 3-pointer to a roaring ovation from the home crowd and scored eight points in his first five minutes back.

But after that hot start, Reaves made just two of his next 13 shots, with 12 of his total points coming from the free-throw line.

The Lakers built an early 11-point lead, but Houston slowly chipped away behind its outside shooting. The Rockets knocked down eight first-half 3-pointers and took their first lead midway through the second quarter, holding that advantage into halftime.

The Rockets finished the game with 14 3-pointers to the Lakers’ seven, the least amount they’ve made and the most they’ve surrendered all series.

Houston carried that momentum into the second half, pushing its lead to as many as 11 points while the Lakers struggled with turnovers and missed opportunities.

After leading by seven at the end of the first quarter, the Lakers were outscored 55-39 over the next two periods as Houston took control.

Turnovers continued to plague L.A. throughout the night. The Lakers committed 15 turnovers, many of them unforced, which led to 10 steals for Houston.

The issue has become a troubling trend. In the Lakers’ last two losses, they have committed 39 turnovers, with the Rockets recording 27 steals in those games.

The Lakers trimmed the deficit to three with 24.1 seconds remaining, but Houston split a pair of free throws to maintain control. On the next possession, James missed a 3-pointer that would have cut the lead to one, effectively ending L.A.’s comeback hopes.

Now the series shifts back to Houston for Game 6 on Friday, where the Lakers will once again try to close out a Rockets team that has refused to go away.