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Rockets Beat Lakers 115-96, Lead Series 3-1

4/28/2026

50 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Lakers Stumble

Lakers fell to Rockets 115-96 in Game 4, trailing 3-1.
LeBron James had 10 points, nine assists and eight turnovers on 2-of-9 shooting, while Amen Thompson scored 23 on 10-of-16 shooting with seven assists.
Kevin Durant missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle and bone bruise as the Rockets forced 17 steals and 30 points off turnovers.
Game 5 starts Wednesday at 10 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Summary

Lakers Falter

Turnovers rose to a 21.9% rate, the Lakers’ high, after 23 miscues in Game 4.
Lakers’ offensive rating fell to 102.0 points per 100 possessions, a bottom-ten league level.
Houston attempted 10 more free throws than Los Angeles, shooting 31-21 and scoring 25 points.
Player grades were Hachimura F; Ayton A (19 points, 10 rebounds before ejection); Smart B despite four turnovers; and Kennard C+ after seven points in a 5-for-22 three-point night.

History

Historical Context

After the Cleveland Cavaliers erased a 3-1 deficit to defeat the record-setting 73-9 Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals on June 19, 2016—ending a 52-year Cleveland championship drought—LeBron James earned MVP honors. That comeback shows the Los Angeles Lakers, now down 3-1 to the Houston Rockets, can still force a Game 6.

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Lakers Stumble

Lakers fell to Rockets 115-96 in Game 4, trailing 3-1.
LeBron James had 10 points, nine assists and eight turnovers on 2-of-9 shooting, while Amen Thompson scored 23 on 10-of-16 shooting with seven assists.
Kevin Durant missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle and bone bruise as the Rockets forced 17 steals and 30 points off turnovers.
Game 5 starts Wednesday at 10 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

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