LeBron James and the Lakers were hoping to close out the Rockets at home on Wednesday night and move on to the second round of the NBA playoffs. Instead, they lost Game 5, 99-93, and now must travel back to Houston for Game 6 on Friday night where they will try to snap a two-game skid and avoid a do-or-die Game 7.
The Lakers won the first three games of this series and appeared to be ready to cruise into the next round. Austin Reaves made his return to the lineup for the first time this postseason in Game 5 and scored 22 points in 34 minutes. But Los Angeles was unable to do enough down the stretch to get the win and could only watch as the Rockets celebrated another victory.
James, who led the Lakers with 25 points, was fiery all night long and that continued into his postgame press conference where he had a blunt response to a question about Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. saying before the game that the Rockets were the better team in this series.
“I don’t care about s— like that, bro,” James said. “The game is won between the four lines. I don’t give a damn, who cares? Of course you’d say that. Why would you say ‘no we’re not the better team.’ Ask one of the young guys that question. I’m too old for that s—.”
What Jabari Smith Jr. said about the Lakers
Smith, who is in his fourth year in the NBA, said before Game 5 that the Rockets were “obviously the better team” despite that fact that they trailed 3-1 in the series at the time of his remarks.
When asked to explain why he felt that way, Smith said:
“I just feel like from top to bottom, you can say it’s an opinion, you can say I am biased, I just think we are the better team.”
Smith, the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, had 22 points in Wednesday night’s victory and will look to play a key role again in Game 6.
LeBron James had an intense hot-mic moment in Game 5
James had some words for Houston’s Alperen Sengun while shooting free throws in late in the fourth quarter.
Sengun seemed to say something to James about the foul call that landed him on the free throw line. James’s message back to Sengun was picked up by the ESPN broadcast for the world to hear.
“Anybody else out here allowed to but not you,” James said to Sengun. “You don’t say that. You the only person out here not allowed to say that. Soft ass call.”
What’s next for the Lakers-Rockets series
This series has gotten a lot more intense and Game 6 in Houston on Friday (9:30 p.m. ET) should be another good one. While James will be ready to put on another big performance, Kevin Durant is expected to miss his fourth straight game with an ankle injury.
If the Rockets are able to force a Game 7, it will be played Sunday in Los Angeles.
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