Lakers Defeat Rockets, Extend Winning Streak to Six
HOUSTON – Luka Dončić scored 36 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 100-92 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night, extending their winning streak to six games. The win moves the Lakers 1.5 games ahead of the Rockets for third place in the Western Conference standings.
Game Highlights
The game featured 13 lead changes and a playoff-like atmosphere. A key moment came with two minutes remaining when LeBron James found Marcus Smart for a corner 3-pointer, giving the Lakers a 94-90 lead. James finished the night with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Dončić, who has scored 30 or more points in his last six games, hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the third quarter to give the Lakers an 83-80 lead, overcoming a 57-51 halftime deficit. He went 14 for 27 from the field and was 4 for 12 on 3-point attempts. Dončić is now 11 three-pointers away from matching D’Angelo Russell’s franchise record of 226 in a season.
Rockets Struggle with Turnovers
Jabari Smith Jr. Led the Rockets with 22 points, while Amen Thompson added 19 and Kevin Durant contributed 18. However, Houston committed 24 turnovers compared to just 12 for Los Angeles.
Sengun Absence Impacts Rockets
The Rockets were without Alperen Sengun, who was sidelined due to lower back pain. Sengun is averaging 20.2 points per game, second only to Durant for Houston.
Previous Matchup and Upcoming Game
The Rockets won the first meeting between the two teams this season, 119-96, in Los Angeles on December 25th. The teams will meet again in Houston on Wednesday.
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