Lakers just beat rockets on

46-76 60.5% fg%

15-32 47% 3pt%

17-27 63% ft%

They had 15 less fg attempts than rockets and missed 10 ft , still won the game, against a so called physical, tough defense. They went to rockets building with both teams knowing the playoff seeding implication and took both games. Thats some performance.

This was not just a one off random game.. they just beat rockets previously and beating the same team back to back is a daunting task especially when the stakes are high

Box score - https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810862

INT_MIN | Lakers

78 | 7 hours ago

Tbf that really is a tough defense. Luka just breaks defenses. It’d wild watching teams cycle through schemes and defenders that they throw at him throughout the game and none of it matters.

2PacAn | Mavericks

41 | 6 hours ago

Their defense on Luka was tough. They made him work for it and he still managed to get 40. Insane performance from him tonight

BigFatModeraterFupa | Minneapolis Lakers

29 | 5 hours ago

He makes 40 seem casual. Oh wait, he makes 40/9/10 look casual…😭

I mean we’re literally witnessing one of the all-time greatest basketball players ever right now.

He shot 12-25; 7-17 from 3 and 5 of 8 from 2.

while snagging 9 boards and dishing 10 assists.

Like wtf😭🤣🤣

Leading the league in scoring and leading the league in 3PM, while Top 3 in assists and Top 9 in steals.

thayungsavage | Lakers

13 | 5 hours ago

On an awful FT night too 😂

Financial-Monk9400 | Lakers

10 | 4 hours ago

Luka is so weird lmao. Sometimes I watch, I am feeling lije he is having a bad game. That they show his stats at halftime and he is like 25-7-7 on efficiënt shooting lmao

BigFatModeraterFupa | Minneapolis Lakers

1 | 3 hours ago

It’s crazy that if his stats start with a 2, it’s automatically assumed that he’s had a poor game.

A 20-something game for Luka feels weak…

and it’s not like he just hits 30 points and that’s it…

He’s usually getting 8+ assists on top of that.

8 assists is anywhere from 16-24 extra points.

So he’s essentially generating 50-60+ points a game solely from scoring it himself or passing it…

People usually like to compare him to James Harden, and all respect to The Beard, but Luka is essentially a supercharged James Harden in every aspect.

His 3 level scoring is beyond Harden’s and what’s crazy is that at one point, it’s been years now, but I saw a stat that said that Harden averaged 3.8 step back 3s per game, and during Luka’s MVP level year in 23, he was averaging 6.7 step back 3s per game.

If Harden created the stepback 3, Luka took it to another level.

But what separates them is Luka’s ability to score from the midrange. Harden never had a midrange2 game, while Luka can shoot middies from inside the 3 line anywhere on the court, not just drive and kick or drive and lay.

WearyTranslator3338

2 | 3 hours ago

I like what you are saying, but you must be young, because Rockets Harden went on a stretch that was nasty

BigFatModeraterFupa | Minneapolis Lakers

1 | 3 hours ago

Oh yeah regular season Harden is one of the alltime great scorers. But his volume scoring never translated to post season success.

the 0-27 game is basically the example of why his game never could translate. He didn’t have the ability to punish a defense with multiple ways if his 3 wasn’t falling and if his drives weren’t getting fouls called.

Once the refs stopped giving free whistles for his drives, his penetration game collapsed.

But Luka doesn’t have this problem as he can score inside at a far more proficient rate than Harden ever could.

Basically half of Harden’s reputation is as the guy who disappears in the playoffs. Luka simply doesn’t disappear in the playoffs because his inside scoring ability is much more varied and proficient

tabben | NBA

1 | 2 hours ago

Luka can drop 30-40 points and to the spectator watching it does not even seem like he is popping off like crazy or anything. Makes it look like business as usual lol. Like LeBron had 10 less points but he stole the show in the eye test with highlight reel plays. Luka just sneakily gets to 30 points and you are like “wait he has 30 now?” 😂

Krillin113 | 76ers

2 | 2 hours ago

Also helps that LeBron is still there and couldn’t miss lmao. 30 points on 1 miss is insane.

LardHop | Lakers

27 | 7 hours ago

Meanwhile KD struggling on the most basic double teams of players a foot shorter than him. Like just pass over them brotha you’re 7 feet tall.

Glass-Candle-7670

37 | 6 hours ago

Not sure most people have caught up to it yet but Rockets season has been cooked the moment Adams went down. Every team should be trying to face them in the 1st round. I also don’t think its certain they escape the play-in, Suns could well surpass them.

ExtraGoated | Lakers

20 | 6 hours ago

yeah im surprised more people weren’t saying this when it happened. without a pg their offense was almost completely reliant on their oreb % and they lost one of the best offensive rebounders of all time.

Glass-Candle-7670

6 | 6 hours ago

Because the casual fan doesn’t know how they actually play lol, defensively as well they’re stuck playing full-time Sengun at the 5 minutes and he’s awful most nights.

Krillin113 | 76ers

0 | 2 hours ago

Because if your team falls apart if you’re missing Steven Adams in 2026, your team isn’t good in the first place.

AgentOfSPYRAL | Lakers

1 | 7 minutes ago

Adams and FVV. Which fair criticism that old man Fred maybe shouldn’t be your jenga piece.

Unpickled_cucumber1

9 | 6 hours ago

Adams and FVV , both indispensable. ESP FVV cuz their stupid front office somehow thought of not getting a PG

Glass-Candle-7670

8 | 6 hours ago

I think they saw it as an opportunity to give Reed extended developmental reps, probably thought if he breaks out that kinda puts them in the driver’s seat long-term. Unfortunately didn’t happen, and also coincided with Amen not showing the kind of growth he was expected to on the ball. A trade like Jared McCain could’ve probably saved their season.

jphamlore | NBA

5 | 5 hours ago

What exactly are the Rockets expecting out of Reed Sheppard when he “breaks out”? Is he supposed to almost never have an off-night shooting, be a threat to score 25 every game, or is he somehow supposed to overcome his physical limitations to become a plus defender?

Glass-Candle-7670

2 | 3 hours ago

My guess is they expected him to be able to dictate offense more, organize play, set up the offense essentially. But like you said the size has been an extremely limiting factor, he’s not an imposing figure and gets easily overwhelmed once teams throw different coverages and play aggressive defense.

At this stage, he’s more of just a spot-up shooter that can connect play a bit, but far from those things I mentioned. And that makes him barely viable because of how bad he is defensively.

zannet_t

3 | 6 hours ago

It kills me that it was OKC that swiped McCain. What a heist for them to nab another good player whose salary cap impact will remain low for years.

Glass-Candle-7670

1 | 6 hours ago

Still insane to me that he was even made available in trade, seems like Philly made that trade strictly based on Nick Nurse’s dislike for him and I’m thinking, unless you’re planning to keep Nurse around for 10 years or something, that just seems short-sighted.

zannet_t

3 | 6 hours ago

It’s hubris. I’m not saying McCain is in the same tier, but it’s the same kind of hubris that drove the Hali and Luka trades. McCain was far from becoming a bust. Give him a few years and he could form a very, very good trio with VJ and Maxey. What the hell was the rush? So you don’t lose out on a few second rounders when you eventually traded him? So short-sighted. It’s always the people who get too smart with it that show themselves to be the biggest moves.

Except the rest of the league now has to live with OKC extending their prime window. Daryl Morey, the guy who refuses to pay off his own parking tickets, turns out to be a massive douchebag. Who’d have thought?

Andy_Wiggins | Timberwolves

2 | 4 hours ago

They have a pretty easy schedule the rest of the way.

Hawks, Heat, Bulls, Wolves, Grizz, Pels, Knicks, Bucks, Jazz, Warriors, Suns, Sixers, Wolves, Grizz

That’s like 6 games against teams not trying, 3 more against mediocre Eastern conference teams, 2 Western play-in teams, 1 game against the Knicks (difficult) and 2 against the Wolves (with at least one likely seeing Ant not play).

Even though they’re scuffling, I could easily see them going like 11-4

pr0crast1nater | Lakers

16 | 4 hours ago

And all this with Reaves not playing his best offensively

awntawn | Lakers

22 | 4 hours ago

Rockets put Amen on him. Their game plan was basically “we’re not gonna stop Luka, so let’s focus on shutting down Reaves” and Bron was like 👀

OneXDC4ever | Lakers

1 | 37 minutes ago

I think more teams should do that. The only defenders I see really give Luka trouble are Dort and Jaylen Brown. I think, for example, if Minnesota matches up with us again I think they should put McDaniels on Reaves instead of Luka

Practical-Art5931 | Lakers

12 | 5 hours ago

Chuck: They not gonna shoot 61% from the field again. If I am the rockets, I am feeling good about myself.

Smok3dSalmon | Heat

4 | 6 hours ago

Can’t get offensive rebounds if you make every shot.

Rockets had a ton of offensive rebounds. They lead the league in offensive rebounds and total rebounds per game.

Lakers just beat rockets on nearly 61% shooting