The Houston Rockets narrowly defeated the Los Angeles Lakers at home with a final score of 119-115. In this game, Ethan continued to sit out, while Amen Thompson returned from suspension due to an injury that will keep Smith out for at least 4-8 weeks. Thompson was immediately promoted to the starting lineup at the power forward position. The Lakers have been on a good run recently, while the Rockets have only won one game against the Mavericks in their last four home games. They have also experienced comebacks from the Timberwolves and Heat after leading them. Against the Celtics, the Rockets were completely overwhelmed.
However, there is a positive sign for the Rockets as Jalen Green's shooting touch has improved. In the previous game against the Celtics, Green was the team's saving grace. Today, he exploded against the Lakers, scoring 18 points in a single quarter with an impressive 8-of-7 shooting. Under Green's leadership, the Rockets led by 14 points in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Amen Thompson continued the momentum, using his 2.03-meter height and physique to aggressively attack Reeves and even call out Hachimura for a one-on-one matchup, leaving the Lakers with no solution as the lead extended to 24 points.
But then the Rockets' old problems resurfaced; they struggled to maintain their lead, and their shooting cooled down. The Lakers began to exploit the Rockets' weakness, which was Shen Jing's inability to protect the paint and switch defenses. The Lakers repeatedly attacked Shen Jing, forcing the Rockets to bring in Thompson to assist in defense. With Van Vleet and Dillon hitting three-pointers before halftime, the Rockets entered the second half with an 18-point lead. The Rockets' advantage over the Lakers in the first half was their dominance in rebounding, particularly on the offensive end.
Especially Adams, who today dominated the Lakers' interior, not only setting solid screens but also grabbing rebounds at will. There was even a period when Udoka was reluctant to use Shen Jing. It wasn't until the second half that the Lakers finally woke up. Jalen Green faced intense defense from the Lakers, while James suddenly erupted, and Davis fiercely attacked the basket, reducing the lead to 4 points. Fortunately, Jalen Green drew fouls and made three free throws, while Adams grabbed rebounds and drew fouls, preventing the Lakers from making a comeback, keeping the lead at 2 points.
Despite this, the Lakers still outscored the Rockets by 16 points in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the battle intensified, with Adams once again playing a crucial role. The Lakers couldn't stop him from grabbing rebounds, followed by Holiday and White Wizard Whitmore hitting three-pointers, giving the Rockets another 11-point lead. At a critical moment, Udoka chose to replace Adams with Shen Jing. However, the Rockets began to lose control of the rebounds, and Davis dominated Shen Jing. In the closing moments, the Lakers closed the gap to 2 points again. Jalen Green became the key player for the Rockets, hitting a three-pointer and then scoring a difficult fadeaway mid-range shot against Davis.
These two shots were indeed crucial, as they were the reason the Lakers couldn't make a comeback. In the final moments, Amen also contributed, as James was called for an offensive foul while jostling for position with Amen. The Lakers had a chance to tie the game with a three-pointer and enter overtime. However, Shen Jing missed one of two free throws, but Van Vleet intercepted the inbound pass from Christie to James, ultimately leading to the Lakers' surrender. Throughout the game, the Rockets had 18 offensive rebounds compared to the Lakers' 10. The total rebound count was 49-39 in favor of the Rockets, and these 10 offensive rebounds proved fatal to the Lakers.
In the entire game, Jalen Green scored 33 points with 6 rebounds and 4 assists on 12-of-24 shooting, including 5-of-12 from three-point range. Amen Thompson, starting for 40 minutes, scored 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds on 11-of-19 shooting. Today, Amen could say he went head-to-head with James. Additionally, Adams scored 8 points with 9 rebounds, including 7 offensive rebounds. Despite Shen Jing's 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists on 6-of-14 shooting, he was clearly overpowered by Davis, finishing with a team-low plus-minus of -14. Van Vleet scored 15 points, and White Wizard scored 8. On the Lakers' side, James had 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists, Davis scored 30 points with 13 rebounds and 5 blocks, Reeves had 21 points and 10 assists, Christie scored 14 points, and Smith had 13 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
Overall, the Lakers played poorly in the first half, which would have made the outcome unpredictable if not for their performance. However, Smith has indeed been improving. The Rockets, already the second-best team in the West, have now solidified their position after this victory, and there's nothing wrong with the Lakers losing. Jalen Green and Amen are truly the heroes for the Rockets, combining for 56 points, 22 rebounds, and 7 assists. Honestly, if Jalen Green and Amen can consistently perform at this level, the Rockets wouldn't need Fox or Booker; they could compete for the championship right now. Amen Thompson is incredibly talented; in just his second year, the Rockets can't hold him back, and he is undoubtedly worth a max contract. He is currently the only player on the Rockets with cornerstone potential.