Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers — 78:98, NBA
NBA
Saturday, May 2, 2026 • Toyota Center
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Rockets | 18 | 13 | 24 | 23 | 78 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 23 | 26 | 22 | 27 | 98 |
Team Statistics
| Stat | Houston Rockets | Los Angeles Lakers |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | 28/80 | 36/89 |
| 3-Pointers | 5/28 | 12/28 |
| Free Throws | 17/24 | 14/24 |
| Rebounds | 45 | 54 |
| Assists | 13 | 19 |
| Steals | 6 | 4 |
| Blocks | 9 | 9 |
| Turnovers | 11 | 10 |
Box Score
Top scorers
LeBron James
28 PTS · 7 REB · 8 AST
Rui Hachimura
21 PTS · 6 REB · 2 AST
Amen Thompson
18 PTS · 8 REB · 3 AST
Houston Rockets
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amen ThompsonS | 44:33 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7-14 | 0-0 | 4-6 |
| Jabari Smith Jr.S | 41:59 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 3-11 | 1-6 | 2-3 |
| Alperen SengunS | 37:35 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 5-12 | 0-0 | 7-10 |
| Tari EasonS | 36:59 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 5-14 | 2-7 | 2-2 |
| R. SheppardS | 36:29 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 4-19 | 1-10 | 1-1 |
| Josh Okogie | 13:25 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| Aaron Holiday | 11:31 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Dorian Finney-Smith | 07:45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Jae'Sean Tate | 05:30 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1-3 | 0-2 | 1-2 |
| Clint Capela | 02:07 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| JD Davison | 02:07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Totals | 78 | 45 | 13 | 28-80 | 5-28 | 17-24 |
Los Angeles Lakers
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeBron JamesS | 37:07 | 28 | 7 | 8 | 10-25 | 2-5 | 6-8 |
| Marcus SmartS | 34:53 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2-7 | 2-4 | 1-2 |
| Rui HachimuraS | 34:44 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 8-15 | 5-7 | 0-0 |
| Austin ReavesS | 30:41 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 7-14 | 0-4 | 1-1 |
| Deandre AytonS | 28:10 | 7 | 16 | 1 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 3-7 |
| Luke Kennard | 29:00 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1-6 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| Jaxson Hayes | 16:43 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 3-4 |
| Jake LaRavia | 16:15 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3-8 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| D. Knecht | 03:07 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Nick Smith | 03:07 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| J. B. James | 03:07 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| A. Thiero | 03:07 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-2 |
| Totals | 98 | 54 | 19 | 36-89 | 12-28 | 14-24 |
Game Recap
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 98-78, pulling away for a 20-point NBA victory behind a stronger overall offensive performance and a decisive edge on the glass. Los Angeles controlled much of the game’s momentum, using its size, rebounding and perimeter shooting to create separation while holding Houston to 78 points.
Key Takeaways
- →The Los Angeles Lakers hold a slight edge in Net Rating (0
- →The Los Angeles Lakers have a slight edge in overall team strength as indicated by the Courtframe Power Index and their higher PPG
- →Both teams are on a back-to-back, but the Rockets are significantly impacted by injuries to key players like Durant and VanVleet
- →The Rockets are significantly impacted by the absence of Kevin Durant (25
- →The Los Angeles Lakers, despite being on the road, have a slight edge due to their higher Courtframe Power Index and better recent form