How the Houston Rockets spoiled LeBron’s Lakers home debut

A phenomenal fourth quarter sealed it

The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers played extremely competitive basketball all night long. After trading blows through the first three quarters, the Rockets entered the fourth quarter leading the Lakers by one, 98-97.

After that, all the Rockets did was limit the Lakers to a measly 18 points during the fourth quarter. The Rockets put up 26 points of their own to increase the lead to nine by the end of the game to win 124-115. It was both team’s lowest scoring quarter of the night by the dip in the Lakers production was the largest.

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If you ask the Lakers, the fight with a little over four minutes remaining through off their mojo for the rest of the game. Losing Rondo and Ingram hurt, no doubt, but the Rockets also lost a key part of their team in Paul so that argument won’t hold up. The Rockets simply dominated the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

Tucker led a tenacious defense that stifled anything and everything that the Lakers tried on offense. Harden led an offensive charge that saw him connect for eleven points in the fourth quarter alone.

The defense in this game, specifically in the fourth quarter was a huge key to the victory. Hopefully, this turns into something the Houston Rockets can build on moving forward and truly establish a new defensive identity that is centered on Tucker.

The Houston Rockets are now 1-1 and will face off against the Clippers later this week in LA before returning home. They’re entering a stretch that can enable them to get hot and establish their superiority early on in the season.