Reaves Returns but Lakers Fall 99-93, Miss Chance to Close Out Rockets

Key facts

• Austin Reaves returned after missing 9 games with a strained oblique muscle suffered April 2.
• Reaves finished with 22 points and 6 assists but shot 4-of-16 from the field.
• LeBron James scored 25 points with 7 assists, missing all 6 three-point attempts and committing a costly late turnover.
• The Lakers led 28-21 after the first quarter but were outscored 30-19 in the second.
• Houston went up 87-74 with under 6 minutes left; Los Angeles cut the deficit to 3 before Reed Sheppard scored 4 straight points.
• Kevin Durant missed his third game of the series; Luka Doncic remains out with a strained hamstring.
• The Rockets now trail 3-2 after winning Game 5, with Game 6 in Houston.

Lakers Fail to Close Out Series at Home

The Los Angeles Lakers entered Wednesday night with a 3-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets and a chance to advance to the second round on their home floor. Instead, they fell 99-93 in a game that saw Austin Reaves return from a nine-game absence but the team unable to finish a late comeback. Los Angeles started strong, taking an 11-point lead near the end of the first quarter and holding a 28-21 edge after the period. But Houston outscored the Lakers 30-19 in the second quarter to take a four-point halftime lead, a margin they would not relinquish.

Reaves Returns but Struggles from the Field

Austin Reaves made his return after missing the final five regular-season games and the first four playoff games with a strained oblique muscle. He had been listed as questionable for Games 3 and 4 but did not play. On Wednesday, he finished with 22 points and six assists, but shot just 4-of-16 from the field. Reaves had expressed cautious optimism on Tuesday, saying he felt good and was trending in the right direction. He averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds this season, but played in only 51 games due to the oblique injury and a strained left calf that sidelined him for 19 straight games from Christmas to February.

James Struggles from Deep, Commits Key Turnover

LeBron James scored 25 points and dished out seven assists, but he missed all six of his three-point attempts and committed a costly turnover late in the game. With Los Angeles trailing by four points and under 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter, James missed a three-pointer that would have cut the deficit to one. After the game, James responded to Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr.'s claim that Houston was the better team in the series. The loss was particularly painful given that the Lakers had won the first three games of the series without their top two scorers, Reaves and Luka Doncic.

Rockets Survive Late Lakers Run

Houston went up 87-74 with just under six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but Los Angeles responded with an 11-1 run to cut the deficit to three. However, Rockets guard Reed Sheppard immediately scored four consecutive points to give his team breathing room, and the Lakers could not complete the comeback. Kevin Durant missed his third game of the series with injuries, and did not participate in practice in Houston on Tuesday before the team flew to Los Angeles. Luka Doncic, who strained his right hamstring in the same April 2 game that Reaves was injured, is not yet close to a return.

Lakers' Supporting Cast Impressed During Absences

Reaves praised his teammates for keeping the team afloat during his and Doncic's absences. 'Basically the message from that day forward was that they were going to do everything as a team to give us an opportunity to come back and play, and they've done exactly what they said,' Reaves said. He added that it has been fun watching the determination and togetherness of the team, and that he and Doncic talk about it every time they watch. The Lakers won the first three games of the series without their top two scorers, even stealing Game 3 in overtime after trailing by six points with 30 seconds left in regulation.

Series Shifts to Houston for Game 6

The Rockets have now cut the Lakers' series lead to 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled in Houston. The Lakers will need to win one of the next two games to avoid a historic collapse after leading 3-1. Both teams could again be without their top scorers: Doncic remains out, and Durant has missed three of five games. The Lakers' ability to close out the series without their full roster will be tested as the series returns to Houston.

The bottom line

• Austin Reaves returned after nine games out but shot poorly (4-of-16) in a 22-point effort.
• LeBron James missed all six three-point attempts and committed a critical late turnover.
• The Lakers blew an 11-point first-quarter lead and could not overcome a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit.
• Houston's Reed Sheppard scored four straight points to halt a Lakers comeback attempt.
• Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant remain sidelined with injuries, with no clear return date for either.
• The series now heads to Houston for Game 6, with the Lakers still leading 3-2.