Lakers Seek Commanding 2-0 lead vs Rockets

The Los Angeles Lakers are back in action for Game 2 of their first-round series tonight against the Houston Rockets. Los Angeles took advantage of Kevin Durant’s absence en route to a Game 1 victory. Now, they look to take a chokehold on the series and a 2-0 lead to Houston.

Here are the key aspects of the game the Lakers needed to manage to make it back-to-back wins.

Rebounding

Despite the win in Game 1, the Lakers failed to do what they had emphasized for a week in practice: rebound. The Rockets out-rebounded LA 44-35, with the Rockets being +18 in the offensive rebound margin.

The Lakers got away with it once, but will likely not be able to get away with it again. They must rebound and keep the rebounding margin around 5-7 at worst throughout the game.

Maintaining Defensive Momentum 

The Lakers’ defense was excellent in Game 1, holding the Rockets to just 98 points on 37% shooting. If Kevin Durant is back, that becomes more difficult to replicate.

Regardless of personnel, though, the Lakers must continue to try to keep Houston out of the paint. The Rockets are a low-volume three-point shooting team and need points in the paint to win games.

The New Dynamic Duo 

LeBron James and Luke Kennard played well in Game 1. James, as expected, dictated the flow of the Lakers’ offense and posted a 19-point, 13-assist double-double.

Kennard, meanwhile, had arguably the best game of his career, scoring 27 points on 69% shooting, including going 5/5 from three.

While Kennard’s game was one for the ages, the Lakers cannot expect to get that essentially perfect performance again. It is imperative that players like Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton stay ready. They could be the next man up needed to have a big night.

Wrap Up

Tip-off for tonight’s game in LA is set for 7:30 PM on NBC. The series will then shift to Houston for Game 3 on Friday.