LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Lakers now own a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Rockets.
The Los Angeles Lakers took a tough 15-point loss in Game 1 of the series against the Houston Rockets. They have not lost since.
The Lakers picked up a 110-100 victory Thursday night in a Game 4 that saw LeBron James continue his playoff magic with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists. The team had six players reach double-figures in scoring and Anthony Davis led the way with 29 points. But it was James’ plus-minus of plus-15 that stood out the most.
Lakers cruising against the Rockets
The Rockets are now in deep trouble after these three straight defeats. The problem Thursday night was the lack of help. James Harden had 21 points, Russell Westbrook led the way with 25, and Eric Gordon added 19. But the other two starters in Robert Covington and P.J. Tucker combined for three total points. Tucker put up zero in 33 minutes, which is just unacceptable.
Harden actually finished the game with an even plus-minus of zero. However, he shot 2-11 from the floor in 39 minutes. This was a sharp contrast from his 11-23 night from the floor in Game 3. Harden having a bad night like he did Thursday dooms the Rockets given their style of play. Covington and Tucker are two starters and combined for six total shots and no free-throw attempts.
The Lakers, meanwhile, look great. James continues to defy the passing of time and Davis destroyed the Rockets going 10-18 from the floor. The team also got a combined 27 points from Alex Caruso and Rajon Rondo off the bench. That helped make up for Kyle Kuzma scoring four points in 22 minutes.
All three of the Lakers’ wins in the series have come by at least eight points. The Rockets are not known for their defense and have allowed at least 110 points in each of the past three games. Harden going 2-11 with that defense tells the whole story.
Game 5 is Saturday and the Rockets will have the impossible task of figuring out how to slow down James and Davis. Simply relying on Harden and Westbrook to go off every night is not a sustainable strategy and some double-teams from the Lakers defense could be enough to end this series in five.