Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson scored 23 points in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in Houston. Photo by John G. Mabanglo/EPA
Anticipation and grit triggered a torrent of turnovers from the Los Angeles Lakers, allowing the Houston Rockets to dominate Game 4 and avoid a first-round sweep in their Western Conference playoff series.
The Rockets scored 30 points off 23 turnovers in the 115-96 victory Sunday in Houston. Lakers forward LeBron James, who logged a game-high eight giveaways, called his gaffes “unacceptable.”
“I think our aggressiveness was on display from the start,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka told reporters.
The Lakers outshot the Rockets 50% to 48.1% and held a 37-35 advantage in rebounds, but were undone by their frequent errors and lack of an outside shooting game. The game featured three lead changes, but those occurred within the first 11 minutes. The Rockets, who missed five of their first six shots, took control with 1:42 remaining in the first quarter and didn’t trail again.
Rockets guard Amen Thompson totaled a game-high 23 points, with seven assists and four rebounds. Forward Tari Eason chipped in 20 points, eight rebounds, five steals and two assists. Center Alperen Sengun totaled 19 points, six rebounds and two assists.
Center Deandre Ayton, who was ejected in the third quarter, led the Lakers with 19 points and 10 rebounds. James made just 2 of 9 shots for 10 points in the loss.
“It started with me, obviously,” said James, who also logged nine assists and four rebounds. “My turnovers were unacceptable.”
The Lakers started the night with a 7-2 run, but early errors helped the Rockets surge back into Game 4. They outscored the Lakers 13-4 over the final 4:30 of the first quarter and never looked back.
The Lakers, who missed nine of their first 10 attempts from 3-point range, went 5 of 22 from downtown on the night. They were outscored 30-26 in the second quarter and 34-18 in the third. They held a 31-25 advantage over the final 12 minutes, but were unable to close a deficit that reached as many as 28 points.
The Lakers (3-1) will host the Rockets (1-3) in Game 5 at 10 p.m. EDT on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Game 6, if necessary, will be Friday in Houston.
The winner of the best-of-seven game series will meet the Oklahoma City Thunder or Phoenix Suns in a Western Conference semifinals series. The Thunder (3-0) will face the Suns (0-3) in Game 4 of their first-round series at 9:30 p.m. Monday in Phoenix.
LeBron James turns 41: a look back at the NBA champion
LeBron James when he was a high school senior playing basketball at the James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio, on February 14, 2003. James signed his first NBA contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers that same year. Photo by Tom Cammett/UPI | License Photo
