Rockets look for tie

No. 5 Houston 99, No. 4 Los Angeles 93

Lakers lead series, 3-2

Yup, the idea of LeBron James' Lakers career ending with a blown 3-0 series lead crossed our simple mind. This series is closer than its title card: Game 3's ending was a farce, our brains (straight down from hill country) haven't conceded last Friday's victory to the Lakers yet.

Back in reality, the Rockets are learning how to play well together with a new lineup. The team is not better without Kevin Durant, but let's go ahead and keep kicking this can without Kevin Durant for a while, just in case. Dorian Finney-Smith can hold it down.

Rockets almost blew another one but for two Reed Sheppard buckets late. It was a good night for the "good for them!"-guys, Sheppard's three steals plus Rockets leading scorer Jabari Smith Jr., who popped for 22 points and didn't turn the ball over in 42 minutes.

Austin Reaves returned to straw the drink for the Lakers and poured flat, missed 6-8 from deep and 6-8 from long range. The home team was better when he played (Reaves hit a dozen free throws and looked healthy, if not in shape), but Reaves biffed several chances to be the hero. LeBron James, hero, led the team with 25 points and seven assists but lost the ball to Sheppard late and missed all six of his twisting three-point attempts.

Tari Eason gets to LeBron. James wanted to make a determined statement against the Rockets defender but was unable to, and it was to James' credit that he didn't let it swirl to his head. Still, LeBron knows the game is different with Eason out there, every time James saw Smith or Josh Okogie in front of him, James went. That attention to detail kept the Lakers in it.

Houston's bench showed up on the road in what coulda been the last game of the season, there must be something to that.

What won't happen in Game 6

Fewer delayed calls. I think there was a slight gas leak at LA Live on Wednesday night.