Rockets beat Lakers 99-93 in Game 5, avoiding playoff elimination for the 2nd straight game

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points, Tari Eason added 18 and the Houston Rockets avoided playoff elimination for the second straight game with a 99-93 victory over the Lakers in Game 5 on Wednesday night, trimming Los Angeles' lead in the first-round series to 3-2.

Alperen Sengun had 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the fifth-seeded Rockets, who sent the series back to Houston for Game 6 on Friday night with a gritty performance to overcome Austin Reaves' return to the Lakers.

Houston has won two straight even without top scorer Kevin Durant, who has missed four of the series' five games with injuries.

“We put ourselves in a bad position, but we can still make history and come back one game at a time,” Sengun said. “Play at home, come back here, just do the same thing we're doing.”

No team has ever recovered from an 0-3 deficit to win an NBA playoff series, but the Rockets are halfway. Only four of the 159 teams to start a series down 0-3 have ever even forced a Game 7.

LeBron James scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half and added seven assists, but Los Angeles lost its second straight after stealing Game 3 with an improbable rally in the final seconds of regulation.

James’ teams have never blown a 2-0 series lead in his entire 23-year NBA career.

“Listen, it’s one game,” James said. “You give credit where credit is due. They played well the last two games, exceptionally well, and we’ve got to answer the call.”

Reaves had 22 points and six assists in his return from a nine-game injury absence for the Lakers, but they committed 15 mostly atrocious turnovers in their worst performance of the series and only their second loss in 16 home games since February.

Los Angeles awoke for a late 11-1 run and trimmed Houston’s lead to 88-85 on a driving layup by James, but Reed Sheppard hit a jumper before ripping the ball away from James for a dunk with 2:20 to play. The moment looked like redemption for Sheppard, who committed a turnover forced by James that led to the Lakers' last-minute comeback to tie Game 3.

"After what happened in Game 3, we could have very easily shut it down and pouted and quit," said Sheppard, who was ill with congestion and a headache during the day. “That's not what we did. We watched it and we learned from it. We keep fighting and keep giving ourselves a chance to win.”

Deandre Ayton had 18 points and 17 rebounds for Los Angeles, which is still without Luka Doncic. The NBA scoring champion doesn't appear to be close to a return from a strained hamstring.

Strained oblique muscles had sidelined Reaves since April 2, but he had 11 points and six assists in the first half of Game 5. Yet the Rockets coolly carried an advantage into the second half and led 87-74 with 5:55 to play.

Ayton's putback dunk made it 96-93 after James and Reaves both missed open 3-pointers. But Thompson hit one of two free throws, and James badly missed another 3-point attempt that allowed Houston to ice it.

The Rockets shot particularly poorly while losing the series' first two games in Los Angeles, but they've rediscovered their collective touch while running a balanced offense in Durant's absence. Houston has played with the confidence exemplified Tuesday by Smith, who claimed the Rockets were “obviously the better team” despite their 3-1 series deficit.

The Rockets' resilience is also good news for the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who are resting and awaiting the series winner after sweeping Phoenix.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Houston Rockets' Kevin Durant watches from the bench during the first half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakes' LeBron James shoots as Houston Rockets' Alperen Sengun defends during the first half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie, center, grabs a rebound away from Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, left, as forward Tari Eason also reaches during the first half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, shoots as Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., left, and guard Aaron Holiday defend during the first half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, center, passes the ball as Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason, left, and center Alperen Sengun defend during the first half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vegas' Pavel Dorofeyev's 6-on-5 goal with 52.7 seconds left in regulation gave him the sixth playoff hat trick in franchise history and forced overtime Wednesday night between the Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth with the teams tied at 4 in Game 5 of their series.

Neither team scored in the first overtime, forcing a second sudden-death session.

The teams are 2-2 in the opening-round best-of-seven series.

Utah rallied in the third period when Dylan Guenther tied it at 5:54 on a rush play and Michael Carcone on a 2-on-1 with 7:18 left.

John Marino, Lawson Crouse and Guenther also have scored for the Mammoth and Clayton Keller has two assists. Karel Vejmelka has made 19 saves.

Pavel Dorofeyev had two goals in 13 career playoff games before this one. Also for the Golden Knights, Shea Theodore has a goal and assist and Jack Eichel has two assists. Carter Hart has stopped 22 shots.

Both teams have continued to struggled on the power play, combining to go 1 for 8. Vegas ended a scoring drought of 13 power plays when Dorofeyev scored from the right circle to make it 1-1 with 40.2 seconds left in the first period. But the Golden Knights are just 3 for 17 for the series, which is better than Utah's 1-for-13 showing.

The Golden Knights twice rallied in the first two periods, and goals 1:38 apart by Dorofeyev and Theodore late in the second put them ahead 3-2. It's the first time Vegas took the lead into the third period in this series, but the Golden Knights were the NHL's best third-period team in the regular season with a plus-47 goal differential.

But both teams have been resilient — and physical.

They combined for 68 hits, each side determined to assert itself. But those also sometimes resulted in unnecessary penalties, with the Mammoth taking three in the first period on an open-ice interference by Nick Schmaltz, a clothesline takedown of Ivan Barbashev by Logan Cooley officially called holding and a boarding minor on Mikhail Sergachev.

The Golden Knights were hardly blameless. Cole Smith picked up a double-minor high-sticking penalty just 11 seconds into third period, but Vegas killed off the four minutes.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates after scoring against Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the third period of Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth players fight during the first period of Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev, right, celebrates after scoring against the Utah Mammoth during the first period of Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) celebrates after scoring against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) during the second period of Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) scores against Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the first period of Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)