Turnover-plagued Lakers fail to pull off sweep in Game 4 loss to Rockets - BERITAJA

HOUSTON — The Lakers still person power of this first-round bid moreover aft the rustle they took from the Houston Rockets connected Sunday night.

As disfigured arsenic their 115-96 loss was, the Lakers still clasp a 3-1 lead successful the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

All the Lakers person to do is triumph Game 5 connected Wednesday nighttime astatine Crypto.com Arena and they will beforehand to the 2nd round.

But they will person to play amended than they did successful Game 4.

LeBron James, who played a stellar 45 minutes during the Lakers’ overtime win Friday night, wasn’t arsenic spry. He had conscionable 10 points, reaching double figures connected a floater pinch 8:37 near and the Lakers down 26.

He was conscionable 2 for 9 from the section and he had 8 turnovers. James besides had 9 assists and he became the first subordinate successful NBA history to grounds 3,000 section goals successful the playoffs.

Luke Kennard was quiet pinch 7 points connected three-for-eight shooting and Marcus Smart had 9 points connected three-for-eight shooting. Rui Hachimura had 13 points connected six-of-10 shooting from the floor.

The bigger interest was the Lakers’ inability to return attraction of the basketball. They turned it complete 24 times.

All of Houston’s starters scored successful double figures. Amen Thompson had 23 points and 7 assists and Alperen Sengen vanished pinch 19 points and six rebounds.

When the Lakers went down 17 points successful the 3rd 4th connected a Thompson handbasket that was portion of Houston’s 12-4 tally to unfastened the frame, Lakers coach JJ Redick called a timeout to let his group to cod themselves.

Lakers prima LeBron James drives to the handbasket complete Houston’s Reed Sheppard, left, and Alperen Sengun during the first half Sunday.

(Karen Warren / Associated Press)

It didn’t help, arsenic the Lakers’ shortage swelled to 26 points.

It didn’t get amended for the Lakers later successful the 4th erstwhile Deandre Ayton was ejected because of a flagrant foul for his near elbow striking Sengun connected the broadside of the head.

Ayton was having 1 of his amended games successful the playoffs, posting 19 points and 10 rebounds earlier he was ejected pinch 5:41 near successful the 3rd quarter.

Austin Reaves sewage up shots earlier the crippled successful an effort to play successful his first crippled since being injured connected April 2 astatine Oklahoma City, and again, he was downgraded to retired because of a near oblique musculus strain.

In the end, the Lakers saw nary request to unreserved Reaves backmost considering really they person dominated the bid earlier Game 4. The 2 days disconnected earlier Game 5 will springiness Reaves much clip to get healthy.

“I deliberation it’s adjacent to see everything,” Redick said. “Austin and I had a speech yesterday for a agelong time, and I deliberation yet the jock has to consciousness confidence, and that’s ever the last hurdle coming backmost from an injury, is the psychological constituent of it.”

For the Rockets, Kevin Durant missed his 3rd crippled of the bid because of a bony bruise successful his sprained near ankle.

Note: Lakers prima Luka Doncic (Grade 2 near hamstring strain) continues to activity retired connected the court, but there’s nary timetable for his return.

“[He] was capable to move a small spot coming connected the court, which, you know, about of the worldly had been stand-still,” Redick said. “So he’s progressing, but nary update connected immoderate timeline aliases thing for illustration that.”