Lakers vs. Rockets Takeaways: Anthony Davis And LeBron James Proved To Be Too Much
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets dropped their 60th game of the season in a 134-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night. Here are three takeaways from the Rockets' blowout loss inside the Toyota Center.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James too much for Rockets:
For the first time this season, Anthony Davis and LeBron James were in the lineup together when facing the Rockets. And despite holding a 1-1 record entering the game, coach Stephen Silas knew Houston would play against the best version of the Lakers.
James recorded his second triple-double of the season with 23 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. He became the first player in league history with multiple triple-doubles at age 38 or older. But Davis was the most daunting defensive matchup for Houston.
Davis' night began by scoring 11 points within the first five minutes of the first quarter. And by the end, the eight-time All-Star scored a game-high 40 points in the win.
Davis dominated the Rockets from the inside. He shot 15-for-20 with no attempts from behind the arc. The addition of Davis changed the defensive dynamic for Houston that led to modest production against the Lakers this season.
"He is a big, and he is dynamic," K.J. Martin said. "He can score, and it is a little different when he is out there. I played against him last year, so I kind of know what he brings to the table. But it is different when you bring in another guy who can score 30 on any given night."
Rockets' bench unit was a no-show vs. Lakers:
The Rockets played four out of their five starters over 30 minutes. Martin logged 28 minutes, while Jalen Green played a game-high 40 amid a 25-point defeat. But Silas had to rely on his starters more than usual due to the poor production of his reserve unit.
The Rockets' bench came into the game averaging 32.1 points. But in their final meeting against the Lakers, the Rockets' reserves scored 22 points.
The subpar production of Houston's bench becomes bleaker compared to Los Angeles.
Led by Rui Hachimura, who recorded a double-double of 22 points (10-14 FG) and a dozen rebounds, the Lakers received 50 points from their reserves. Malik Beasley added 16 points on 5-for-14 shooting to add to Hachimura's production.
"It was rough," Silas said. "I don't want to play our starters for so many minutes. I had to make substitutions, but we did not get the productivity tonight. But that is not something we can harp on. We just got to do better."
Silas was proud of Alperen Sengun's efforts on defense and competitiveness:
Alperen Sengun had one of the most impactful games of his sophomore campaign. He finished with his 26th double-double of the season with 18 points (9-17 FG), 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.
For Silas, Sengun did a great job rising to the competitive level of the Lakers. But Silas was more pleased with Sengun's efforts on the defensive end.
"I’ve challenged him this season, when it comes to the defensive end, and he’s responded," Silas said. "I’m happy for him. He’s supremely confident, and he’s going to be a really good player in this league.
"For him to be that, it has to be on both ends of the floor. He’s not backing down. He’s trying really hard. He’s really rebounding the ball. He’s trying to do all the coverages."
Best performance:
With his play on both ends, Sengun had the best overall performance for the Rockets. He shot an efficient 9-for-17 from the field. And whether he was guarding Davis or James, Sengun exerted the energy needed to contest each shot attempt.
Worst performance:
As mentioned, the Rockets' bench unit did not provide any contributions against the Lakers. However, only Tari Eason and Josh Christopher played more than 15 minutes.
Eason finished with nine points and eight rebounds but had one of his least impactful games of the season. He shot 4-for-14 from the field while several missed attempts came at the rim during his 25 minutes of action.
Final Words:
"LeBron's greatness is multifaceted — he is one of the best passers the game has ever seen. When you try to stop him from scoring, then his passing comes into play. And A.D. was just a tough matchup. We did not have the physicality or the quickness to keep up with him." — Stephen Silas
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