Coming into Friday’s Game 3 matchup against the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers were sporting a 2-0 lead and looking to take a commanding 3-0 lead that Kevin Durant and company would find incredibly difficult to come back from.
Ahead of Game 3, Durant was ruled out for the game due to a left ankle sprain, which was a surprising development, to say the least. Lakers guard Austin Reaves was also downgraded to out, but that wasn’t all that shocking, as he wasn’t expected to be ready to return from his oblique strain at this point.
Despite the absence of Durant, the Lakers were underdogs for a third straight game in this first-round series, but they played nothing like an underdog, as they came to play once again, with veterans LeBron James and Marcus Smart leading the way.
Ultimately, after a hard-fought battle that went into overtime at the Toyota Center on Friday, the Lakers prevailed. James and company showed incredible resilience while being labeled the weaker team in this seven-game series.
Here are three takeaways from the Lakers’ remarkable Game 3 win over the Rockets.
No. 1: Lakers are the Better All-Around Team Than Rockets
LeBron James and Luke Kennard | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
With superstar Luka Doncic still trying to work his way back from a Grade 2 hamstring strain and Reaves nearing his return but not ready to take the floor, the Lakers have been considered a team that would inevitably get beaten in this series.
However, JJ Redick’s squad has been able to block out the noise and go to work, raising their level of play on both ends of the court while maintaining a never-say-die attitude against the favored Rockets.
Even though many wrote off the Lakers before this series began, it’s become clear after three games that Los Angeles is the superior team, whether Houston has Durant on the floor or not.
There’s no quit in this team, and everyone on the squad seems to know their role, which makes for a cohesive unit that is incredibly tough to beat.
Simply put, the Lakers have a better all-around team than the Rockets right now, with everyone having bought into what is asked of them, resulting in three straight wins and the rest of the league being shocked that Ime Udoka’s squad could get swept.
No. 2: LeBron James & Marcus Smart are a New Lakers Dynamic Duo
Ironically enough, Smart and James have been a two-headed monster for the Lakers, even though they have more miles on them than the rest of the team.
James continues to hold Father Time at bay, as he’s been as consistent as any player on the floor while being engaged defensively and noticeably determined to win games every time he steps on the floor during this playoff run.
As for Smart, the one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year has taken his game to another level during the first round of the playoffs, as he’s been the backbone of the defense while also coming through in clutch situations consistently over the course of the first three games.
Neither seasoned veteran has backed down an inch, and it shows, and it is contagious among their teammates.
No. 3: Effort, Effort & More Effort!
Marcus Smart | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
One thing that a head coach and their coaching staff can’t teach and is completely out of their control is effort. It’s on the players to make effort plays, whether it’s crashing the glass, which was a major area of concern for the Lakers against this Rockets team, or diving on the floor for loose balls and not giving up anything easy to Houston.
The Lakers have gotten a lot of criticism for their effort defensively during the regular season, but that has definitely changed in the first round of the playoffs, with Smart leading the charge and leaving an impact on Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura.
This team seems to have no quit in them, and even though they are facing a team without its best player, Los Angeles has far exceeded expectations at this point, and that could lead to something special when Reaves and Doncic get back on the floor for Redick.
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