Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal watched as the Los Angeles Lakers tried to close out the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night and book their ticket to the second round. Instead, they let a series that was firmly in their grasp slip further away.
Playing without Kevin Durant for the third straight game, the Rockets won Game 5 99-93 at Crypto.com Arena. They held LeBron James and the Lakers to their lowest offensive output of the series, with Houston’s 3-point shooting and defense proving to be the difference.
The Rockets drilled 14 3-pointers, twice as many as Los Angeles, with Jabari Smith Jr. finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds to lead the Rockets.
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James led all scorers with 25 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a Houston team that has won two straight games to extend the series.
The past two games have been a hard pill to swallow for Los Angeles fans, and nobody made that clearer than O’Neal. The Lakers legend did not hold back on “Inside the NBA” after the final buzzer.
“I hate watching the Lakers sometimes cause at the end of the game they try to play hero ball. ... I’m glad the Rockets beat them. We know what needs to be done to win the championship. LeBron knows that. I’m surprised that they didn't come out with that effort and intensity. And I’m super disappointed in the Lakers tonight.”
The Lakers still lead the series 3-2, but the momentum has shifted entirely to Houston. Game 6 is at Toyota Center in Houston on Friday, and Durant’s potential return looms. With Luka Doncic reportedly ruled out for the series because of a hamstring injury, the Lakers cannot afford to drop the ball on the road.
