HOUSTON — The Los Angeles Lakers left nothing to chance in Game 6.
With a dominant first half and a full-court effort, Los Angeles defeated the Houston Rockets 98-78 on Friday to end the series 4-2 and advance to the second round, where they will face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
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From the beginning of the second quarter, the Lakers were in complete control of the situation.
Houston showed more energy in front of a raucous home crowd at Toyota Center, and after a solid start, the Lakers hit their first hurdle of the night as they trailed 16-11.
How did they react?
This was the last time they faced a deficit.
The Lakers quickly turned things around thanks to the timeless power of 41-year-old LeBron James, who scored a game-high 28 points to go along with eight assists and seven rebounds.
James scored 14 points in the second quarter, one more than the Rockets scored in the quarter, helping Los Angeles lead 49-31 at halftime.
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Defensive tone is equally important.
In the first half, the Lakers controlled Houston’s shooting percentage to 28.6% and the three-point shooting percentage to 16.7%, completely disrupting the team’s offensive rhythm.
The Rockets’ bench also failed to produce anything early, digging a hole they never climbed out of.
Los Angeles went on a 9-0 run after halftime to extend its lead and erase any remaining doubts.
The Lakers never let up.
Hachimura provided important scoring opportunities, hitting two key three-pointers in the third quarter to continue his efficient night, halting the Rockets’ momentum and keeping the lead above 20.
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Hachimura made 8 of 15 shots from the field, including 5 of 7 from beyond the three-point line. He used the attention attracted by James and Austin Reeves to open up the court and scored 21 points and 6 rebounds.
After Game 5, Reeves looked more like himself.
As the game progressed, he adapted to the game, scoring 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting, while also adding 3 rebounds and making timely contributions on both ends of the floor.
On defense, Marcus Smart’s presence is everywhere.
By the end of the third quarter, he had grabbed 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals and 3 attacks, constantly disrupting Houston’s rhythm and solidifying a coherent defense.
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Smart had arguably his best defensive performance of the season, blocking the Rockets’ Tari Eason as he attempted a two-handed dunk.
Those numbers reflect the Lakers’ control.
Los Angeles dominated in rebounding (54-45), fast-break points (19-8) and 3-point shooting (43 percent compared to 18 percent for Houston) while leading by as much as 29 points through three quarters.
The Rockets never found a consistent offense, shooting just 35 percent from the field on 3-for-28 shooting.
Most importantly, the Lakers executed a clear Game 6 plan on both ends of the court — no foul defense, control the boards, create efficient shots — and did so for a full 48 minutes, ultimately closing out the series with a 20-point victory.
Now, a greater test awaits.
The Lakers will travel to Oklahoma City to begin a second-round series with the Thunder, with Game 1 scheduled for Tuesday.