Practice Update: Houston Rockets Prepare for Game 3 Against Lakers

The Houston Rockets are coming off another disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, this time 101-94 in Game 2. Game 1 saw the Rockets lose, but many believed the loss was due to the Rockets being without Kevin Durant, who, despite his injury status being Questionable on game day, was expected to play.

Durant played in Game 2, but the result was the same for the Rockets: they trailed for most of the game, and, for the second straight game, their offense struggled to score. The Lakers, as teams have done throughout the season, made a point of trapping Durant and forcing the ball out of his hands, daring the Rockets' other players to beat them.

In Game 2, Durant's teammates could not take advantage of their 4-on-3 matchups behind the trap, and it led to a second sub-35 percent shooting game for the Rockets. Now facing a 0-2 deficit, the Rockets are back in Houston preparing for Game 3, with another two games off in between.

The Rockets are hoping that being back home and their 30-11 record at Toyota Center can help them get back into the series. Game 3 is as close to a must-win game as you can get outside of an elimination game, considering no team in NBA history has ever come back from being down 0-3, and the way this series has gone, it probably would not happen in this series either.

The Rockets held their final practice before Friday’s matchup with the Lakers on Thursday, and the media heard from Head Coach Ime Udoka and Jabari Smith.

Rockets Post Practice Interviews

Alperen Sengun was the first person we spoke with, and he talked about everything from being back home for Games 3 and 4, if he was discouraged being down 0-2, and how he feels his defense has been so far this series.

Sengun also noted that the Lakers’ trapping of Kevin Durant has sped up his shots around the basket. Rockets on SI asked Sengun if he feels like he is still getting the shots he wants with the Lakers' constant traps.

I asked Alperen Sengun about the Lakers trapping KD and speeding up his shot attempts, and whether he feels he is still getting the shots he wants.

Sengun stated he feels like they are still getting the shots they want and doing it the right way. Sengun said it just comes down… pic.twitter.com/M7dMmCtHG3
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) April 23, 2026

Sengun also noted that it isn't necessarily anything the Lakers are doing special on defense; it is more about them not making shots that they should and have at different points this season.

Udoka also spoke with the media, talking about Reed Sheppard playing more minutes, the Rockets tweaking the rotation, wanting to see players like Amen Thompson attack the 'Lakers' trapping defense more,, and Udoka speaking to SI about Durant and how they are trapping him as the initial facilitator.

Rockets on SI asked Udoka if he thinks having Durant start in the mid-range more instead of above the 3-point line may help him get more and easier shots in Game 3.

I asked Coach Udoka: With the team struggling to make shots and Durant finishing 4th in shot attempts in Game 2, will we say Durant starts in the midrange more often and less often as the initiator of the offense, making it harder to double-team him?

“Yeah I think it's a balance… pic.twitter.com/SYdyHFEwHU
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) April 23, 2026

Udoka also spoke about Sheppard seing more minutes in Game 3 after playing only 11 minutes in Game 2 a season low. Udoka feels the Rockets are getting good shots but do need to be more agressive when it comes to attacking the Lakers trapping defense. Expect a change in the rotation possibly Dorrian Finney-Smith

The Rockets realize that going down 0-3 basically means the series is over as no team has come back from the deficit in NBA history. With that being said the Rockets feel that coming back from 0-2 down is still something that can be done in this series and that is why Game 3 is as close to a must win as you can get outside of an elimination game.

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