Texas, USA : Los Angeles Lakers moved to the brink of a first-round sweep with a 112-108 overtime win over the Houston Rockets in Game 3 on Friday, powered by standout performances from LeBron James and Marcus Smart.
James finished with 29 points and 13 rebounds, including a clutch three-pointer to force overtime, while Smart added 21 points and 10 assists, scoring eight in the extra period as the Lakers took a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference quarter-final series.
Rui Hachimura contributed 22 points for the Lakers, who will look to complete the sweep in Game 4 on Sunday in Houston.
“With two of our best players down, we’ve got to play desperate,” Smart said. “We’ve got to be the most desperate team, and that’s how we’ve been playing.”
Houston were again without leading scorer Kevin Durant, sidelined with a left ankle sprain, and struggled to close out the game despite a late surge.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 33 points and 16 rebounds, while Jabari Smith Jr. scored 24 points, including six three-pointers, and Amen Thompson added 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Houston appeared in control late in regulation after Sengun scored off consecutive turnovers to give the hosts a six-point lead inside the final minute. But Smart’s three free throws and James’ game-tying three-pointer with 13.6 seconds left forced overtime.
“It’s obviously a weakness of ours to close out and finish,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “The amount of mistakes and the types of mistakes are egregious, and you can’t have those.”
The Lakers had set the tone early, with Hachimura scoring 16 first-quarter points to help build a double-digit lead, before Houston battled back to force a tense finish.
