LOS ANGELES — As he posted up Tari Eason the Lakers’ baseline logo in front of the Rockets’ bench, LeBron James took three back-down dribbles while surveying Houston’s defense.
The Rockets’ defense stood pat, so James spun around Eason toward the baseline while dribbling before jumping in anticipation of an open layup. But Jeff Green sunk from outside the paint into the restricted area – providing late help defense – while James was spinning, impeding his path to the basket.
It didn’t matter.
James continued spinning in mid-air, shielding his body and the ball away from Green, before converting a 360 layup that put the Lakers up 60-43 late in the second quarter, leading to a standing ovation from the announced sellout attendance of 18,997 inside Crypto.com Arena.
“I was just hoping I made it,” James said. “I went by the fans’ reaction that I made it. I definitely knew that I put the right English on it and that I had the right angle. But as I was falling, I lost track of the ball. But the fans let me know that I made it.”
The acrobatic play by the 38-year-old James (16 points, seven assists and four rebounds) capped off a 26-5 run in the second that the Lakers (12-9) used to catapult themselves to a 107-97 win over Houston on Saturday.
That run over a 5½-minute stretch during the second gave the Lakers the boost they needed to pull off their eighth home win in 10 games.
Despite a shaky start that led to a nine-point deficit in the first, the Lakers stuck around with the Rockets, trailing 30-25 at the end of the opening quarter and 38-34 midway through the second.
But then Austin Reaves found his rhythm, scoring 15 of his scoring total (18 points on 6-of-11 shooting) in the quarter – the most points he’s had in a quarter in his career.
“The shotmaking ability and driving to the paint, we need more of that,” Anthony Davis said of Reaves. “Just coming off the summer [with Team USA] and then right into the season, obviously his first time, it can kind of linger on your body for a little. Now he’s kind of hitting that mark where he’s got his legs back, kind of refreshed, and he’s playing like it.”
And the Lakers, led by Davis’ commanding interior play (27 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks and three assists) took advantage of the stops they forced, attacking Houston in transition and taking a 60-44 lead going into the second half.
“We were missing easy shots,” Davis said. “It wasn’t like we were shooting jumpers and stuff. We were shooting stuff around the rim – or at least I was. Just staying with it. Knowing we wanted to get back in the win column. What they do defensively, they switch a lot of things, so we knew we were gonna have mismatches in the paint whether we get the ball or for the offensive rebound. Just stay with our game plan, stay with the energy and effort and was able to take control of the game.”
Despite the Rockets’ comeback attempts, the Lakers led by at least double digits for the entire second half, including a 19-point lead late in the fourth.
Ham subbed out most of his main rotation with three minutes left in the fourth with the Lakers leading 106-88.
Six players scored in double figures for the Lakers, including Max Christie (12 points), Taurean Prince (11) and Cam Reddish (11). D’Angelo Russell finished with nine points, seven assists and five steals. Jarred Vanderbilt, who made his season debut after missing the first 20 games because of left heel bursitis (inflammation), finished with four rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench.”
“The fact that he was out there and going after rebounds and being in the way defensively as he always is and really slowing down the other team’s offensive threats – we’re going to get a lot more of that from him,” coach Darvin Ham said. “The first priority, the biggest thing that stood out to me was just the fact that he’s out there. That made me feel extremely happy.”
The Rockets (8-9) were led by Fred VanVleet (22 points, seven assists and five rebounds) and Alperen Şengün (21 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, two steals).
The Lakers, who played their fifth game in eight days on Saturday, will get a couple of days off before hosting the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday for the In-Season Tournament’s quarterfinal matchup.