All articles tagged with #2026 playoffs west first round or lal 4 vs hou 5
Rockets, led by Jabari Smith Jr. and a young core, look to force a Game 7 in Game 6 in Houston with Durant doubtful, while the Lakers must rebound from a cold 3-point stretch and lean on LeBron James’s closeout pedigree.
LeBron James aims for a bounce-back performance as the Lakers, up 3-1 in the series, try to close out the Rockets in Game 5 in Los Angeles, with Austin Reaves’ status and Kevin Durant’s absence for Houston shaping LA's lineup; Houston hopes to extend the series behind Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, but Los Angeles remains favored to finish the series at home.