LeBron's Clutch 3 Sends Lakers-Rockets to OT, LA Takes 3-0 Series Lead
LeBron James scored 29 points including a tying 3-pointer with 13 seconds left as the Lakers took advantage of a Durant-less Rockets squad to go up 3-0.
LeBron's Clutch 3 Sends Lakers-Rockets to OT, LA Takes 3-0 Series Lead
Some things in basketball feel inevitable. LeBron James with the game on the line and the ball in his hands is one of them.
Down by one with 13 seconds left in regulation, LeBron drained a tying three-pointer and the Lakers rode that momentum into overtime — eventually winning 112-108 over the Houston Rockets to go up 3-0 in the first-round series.
There is no more reliable clutch player in NBA history. Twenty-plus years in and LeBron still delivers when it counts.
What Happened
The Rockets had a chance to tie the series at 1-2 and create some real drama, but without Kevin Durant — who missed the game — Houston was running out of firepower in the fourth quarter. The Lakers took advantage.
LeBron finished with 29 points. In the overtime period, LA controlled the game and pulled away for the four-point win. The Rockets' defense gave everything they had, but a depleted roster running against the Lakers on a night when LeBron decided he was not losing makes for a rough combination.
The Durant Factor
Kevin Durant's absence loomed over this entire game. Houston was already in a tough spot down 2-0, and playing without one of the five best players alive makes the mountain even steeper.
Without Durant's shot creation and defensive versatility, the Rockets had to rely on everyone else stepping up. They kept it close, which is a credit to Ime Udoka's coaching and the effort Houston put in. But close is not enough against this Lakers team.
Can Houston Recover?
Being down 3-0 in the NBA playoffs is essentially a death sentence. Only one team in NBA history has ever come back from that deficit. The Rockets would need Durant healthy and four consecutive wins — two of which on the road against a Lakers team that now has all the momentum.
It is not impossible. It is just very, very unlikely.
The Bottom Line
LeBron James is still doing LeBron James things. The clutch gene does not diminish with age in his case. The Lakers are one win away from advancing, and if Durant does not return, this series could be over before the weekend is out.