Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Prediction & Picks - NBA
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by Paul Tamayo | in NBA Picks
The No. 4 seed Los Angeles Lakers host the No. 5 seed Houston Rockets in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round series on Wednesday, April 29, at Crypto.com Arena.
Despite missing the services of superstar forward Kevin Durant, the Rockets dug deep in Game 4 to avoid a series sweep. All five of their starters scored in double digits, including Amen Thompson's 23 points and Tari Eason's 20.
Moreover, the Rockets' defense was outstanding in the previous game. They forced the Lakers to commit 24 turnovers, which Houston converted to 23 fastbreak points. They also closed out well on the Lakers' shooters, as their opponents only made five of their 22 three-point attempts.
The Lakers' offense failed to get into a rhythm all game long. Deandre Ayton put up a double-double performance of 19 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron James could only hit two of his nine shots, finishing with 10 points, 9 assists, and a game-high 8 turnovers.
The positive thing for the Lakers moving forward is they still have a commanding 3-1 lead, and their star guard Austin Reaves might be returning from an injury layoff in Game 5. Reaves is averaging a career-high 23.3 points this season, along with 4.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
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Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Form
Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets Latest Matches
5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
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Los Angeles Lakers against Houston Rockets : Head to Head (H2H)
83 %
17 %
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Players list
M. Smart
L. Kennard
L. James
R. Hachimura
A. Thompson
R. Sheppard
T. Eason
J. Smith
Substitutes
D. Knecht
N. Smith Jr.
B. James
A. Reaves
J. Laravia
A. Thiero
J. Vanderbilt
M. Kleber
J. Davison
A. Holiday
J. Okogie
J. Green
D. Finney-Smith
J. Tate
Los Angeles Lakers - Houston Rockets Key Points
- The Lakers still have a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
- The Rockets have yet to beat the Lakers at home in this series.
- Lakers star Austin Reaves might return from an injury layoff in Game 5.
- Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss Game 5.
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Our Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Prediction
Without Kevin Durant, the Rockets pulled off a stunner in Game 4, staving off elimination and beating the Lakers. But they'll be without KD again in Game 5, and this time, they'll be playing at the Lakers' home floor.
Reports have it that the Lakers might be bringing Austin Reaves back, which further increases their advantage against the Rockets. Look for the Lakers to bounce back and eliminate the Rockets in Game 5. Our prediction for the Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets match is: Lakers (-4.5) cover the spread.
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