'Learning' Rockets outlast Lakers to stretch series to Game 6 - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — The Houston Rockets found themselves in a familiar scenario Wednesday night in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, leading by five points with under a minute remaining.

Two games before, they had led by six points with under 30 seconds remaining, on the verge of their first victory in the series. However, things quickly fell apart, as costly turnovers by the team's burgeoning stars, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard, upended the moment.

This time, instead of faltering, the Rockets held on to beat the Lakers 99-93 and avoid elimination for the second straight game while trimming Los Angeles' series lead to 3-2.

«I think it was just a learning moment. And I feel like we grew up. We're growing up together,» Smith said. «And it's just good to see Reed bounce back from the mistake, me bounce back from the mistake.… A week ago, we folded and lost the game, you know what I'm saying? So I think that's a step in the right direction.»

The Rockets are the 16th NBA team to force a Game 6 after trailing 3-0 in a best-of-seven series and the first since the Boston Celtics did so against the Miami Heat in 2023. Those Celtics lost in seven games; no team has recovered from being down 3-0 to win a series.

«We knew we were going to battle,» Rockets coach Ime Udoka said.

As the game reached its final minutes, Sheppard kept the Lakers at arm's length. With the Rockets leading by three points with just under 3 minutes remaining, he sank a midrange shot, then stripped Lakers forward LeBron James for a dunk to bring Houston's lead to seven.

«We definitely remember what happened in Game 3, and we didn't want to let that happen again,» said Sheppard, who finished with 12 points and six assists while