On January 6, the NBA regular season continued. The Los Angeles Lakers traveled to play away against the Houston Rockets. In this game, the Lakers once trailed by 22 points but fought back in the third quarter to catch up with the score. Both sides remained deadlocked until the final moments before a winner was decided. The Rockets ultimately defeated the Lakers 119-115, avoiding consecutive losses while also ending their opponents' two-game winning streak.
Lakers (20-15): LeBron James had 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists; Anthony Davis scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds; Austin Reaves contributed 21 points and 10 assists; Lonnie Walker IV added 14 points and 6 rebounds; Rui Hachimura scored 13 points; and Max Christie also scored 13 points.
Rockets (23-12): Jalen Green led the team with 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists; Alperen Sengun scored 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds; Bruno Fernando added 15 points; and Eric Gordon contributed 13 points.
In the first half of the first quarter, both teams exchanged blows on the court, with no significant difference in the score. After the midway point, Jalen Green suddenly stepped up his game, leading the Rockets to a 12-1 scoring run that established a double-digit lead. In the first quarter alone, Jalen Green scored 18 points, almost matching the Lakers' total score for the quarter. At the end of the first quarter, the Rockets led the Lakers 36-22 by 14 points.
In the second quarter, the Rockets started strong with five consecutive points, bringing the gap close to 20 points. Midway through the quarter, Alperen Sengun and Bruno Fernando combined for six points, extending the Rockets' lead over the Lakers to 22 points at 54-32. The Lakers found their rhythm and responded with an 8-0 run of their own. In the final minute, Dillon Brooks and Eric Gordon each made a three-pointer, allowing the Rockets to once again extend their lead to 20 points. At halftime, the Rockets led the Lakers 67-49.
In the third quarter, Reaves and James hit three-pointers, and the Lakers began to make up ground. With 4 minutes and 19 seconds left, James sank his fourth three-pointer of the quarter, helping the Lakers close the gap to 76-80, just four points behind. The Rockets then scored six points in a row, once again widening the gap to double digits. In the last 1 minute and 20 seconds, the Lakers scored nine points in a row, and at the end of the third quarter, they trailed by only two points at 89-91.
In the fourth quarter, the Rockets started strong with multiple players contributing, putting together a 10-0 run to open the quarter and extend their lead to 12 points at 101-89. The Lakers responded with an 11-2 run in the middle of the quarter, and at 4 minutes and 5 seconds remaining, they managed to close the gap to 106-108. Alperen Sengun and Eric Gordon then scored four points in a row to help the Rockets stabilize the situation. Davis hit a crucial three-pointer, and James made a layup, allowing the Lakers to close the gap to 115-117 with eight seconds left. Alperen Sengun made one of two free throws, and after a timeout, the Lakers made a turnover on their inbound pass. Eric Gordon made another two free throws, giving the Rockets a four-point lead at 119-115. Davis committed a screening foul, and the Lakers lost their last chance.